Celebfaer and Legolas
by Louise Blue
Summary: Sequel to Celebfaer Silverspirit, Celebfaer and Legolas are married and are now in the Fairy Realm, negotiating with Celebfaer's mother, Queen Asura. Little do they know they will have to part ways again soon for the sake of the Fairy Race. RR LOC
1. Default Chapter Author's note

Authors Note: This is the sequel to Celebfaer - Silverspirit, but you don't need to read Celebfaer - Silverspirit to be able to understand this fic. When I finished Celebfaer - Silverspirit a lot of reviewers asked for a sequel so I decided to finish it the way I always intended, as a sequel. It probably won't be very long, but hopefully it will be up to the standard of the first one.  
  
For those that would like a brief summary of what happened in Celebfaer - Silverspirit, send me an e-mail and I'll send you a summary, unless of course you wish to read the actual story yourself. If you do, please leave me a review or send me an e-mail and tell me what you thought about it.  
  
For a quick refresher, Legolas and Celebfaer are married and they traveled to the Fairy Realm so that Legolas could meet her mother, the Queen. And this is where this story starts.  
  
Cheers and enjoy the fic,  
  
Louise Blue. 


	2. Chapter One: The FirstDaughter of Queen ...

Disclaimer: JRR Tolkien own Legolas and any other characters, names or places that have been borrowed from the Lord of The Rings books. Not me.  
Chapter One: The First-Daughter of Queen Asura  
  
Celebfaer and Legolas were allowed a few days to settle into the Fairy City, though it was mainly for the benefit of Legolas. They were not allowed to share a room, a fact that Legolas strongly objected to despite how many times Celebfaer reminded him of why it was that they did not share a room. But he put up with it for Celebfaer, because he did not want to offend her kin.  
  
For the first few days of their stay in the Fairy City, they were able to wander through the gardens as they would in Eryn Lasgalen or any other Elvish dwelling. However Celebfaer did not take to his public shows of affection. The Elves were used to seeing the two of them like that, but most of the Fairies watched the two like hawks, and most of them did not know that Celebfaer and Legolas were wedded by Elvish lore. And if they were to find that out, both her and Legolas would be thrown out of the City and the Realm before the Queen had any say in the matter.  
  
A week after they arrived in the Realm, Celebfaer woke up early as she always did and sat staring out the window. She had not been able to sleep properly since coming to the Realm though she tried to hide it as best she could. She tried to hide the real reason too, but it would not be long before any picked up on why she was restless at night.  
  
She was sitting by the window, gazing out at the City and wishing that she had never been attacked by those Orcs all those years ago. She was so absorbed in her thinking that when she heard a soft tap on the door to her room, she thought she was imagining it, but when she didn't answer, she heard a voice call through the door.  
  
"Celebfaer.." It said and Celebfaer sighed, recognizing her mother's voice immediately.  
  
"Come in mother, I have been expecting you." She called back at the voice, and though she stood up from her seat beside the window she still stared at the window, waiting for her mother to come in and announce why she was in Celebfaer's part of the palace.  
  
The door closed soundlessly behind the Queen and she smiled when she saw Celebfaer up and ready to start the day.  
  
"I see you are restless also." She announced and Celebfaer just nodded. "Will you walk with me?"  
  
Nodding once more, Celebfaer followed her mother out of the palace and into the surrounding forest. They did not speak until they reached the forest and Celebfaer assumed that her mother had something important that she wanted to say, but she did not want any that were in the palace or the City to hear it.  
  
"My daughter there is something still that troubles your mind. It is the reason why you cannot sleep and the reason why you avoid talking to me about Legolas." The Queen said once they were out of sight of the City.  
  
"I do not avoid talking to you about him, mother. He is nearly always by my side, I would think that it would be obvious that we are happy." Celebfaer replied carefully.  
  
"But you are not." The Queen said, pausing slightly to study Celebfaer before she continued. "Daughter, I know what it is you seek and if you would ask it of me, then I would be willing to teach Legolas the customs of Fairy weddings." The Queen said and Celebfaer turned around, looking at her mother with shock.  
  
"How could you have known? I have not spoken to a soul about it." Celebfaer said the shock showing in her voice and her thoughts wheeling to wonder about how many other people might have guessed what she had been thinking.  
  
"You cannot guard your thoughts from me child. I am the Queen. And your mother."  
  
Falling to her knees Celebfaer looked up at her mother. "I ask your forgiveness, my Queen. I merely want for my husband to be accepted by all of the Fairies. Not just you mother."  
  
Celebfaer knew the rules. One that was not of the race of Fairies could not marry a Fairy under Fairy lore. It was forbidden and any Fairy that took one not of their race as their lover was exiled and never allowed to return to the City. But if they did return to the City, they were killed.  
  
"Get up Celebfaer and don't be foolish! You are not a child any longer!" Asura said, a harsh tone in her voice, so Celebfaer rose slowly, wondering why her mother was being so harsh. "Your wish to wed Legolas in the eyes of us Fairies will be carried out. For you had to endure an Elvish wedding, so Legolas should endure a Fairy wedding. It is only fair Celebfaer."  
  
"Why are you not against this mother? The Council will be against it. You know that it is forbidden." Celebfaer replied, looking at the Queen Asura with disbelief in her eyes. But the Queen did not answer her question.  
  
"Celebfaer it is written among Fairy lore that there will be one of royal blood that would steal the heart of an outsider. As a result the Fairy Realm would be no more."  
  
"Mother, I do not wish to kill the Fairies and if you would wish it of me I shall leave and never return." Celebfaer said holding her head high. She was not ashamed of Legolas or the fact that she had married him though she wanted the Fairies to accept him with all her heart, she knew that it would never happen.  
  
The Queen smiled then but she ignored Celebfaer's words and continued with what she was saying. "The Fairy Realm would diminish because the Fairies would leave it. They would come out of hiding, and return to Middle Earth, no longer cloaked and hidden as they once were. We have been in hiding too long Celebfaer and each day there is less and less hope that we will survive the coming years. We are diminishing and the people await the legend. As was foretold there would be one of royal blood that would lead the people back into Middle Earth. We are to take the place of the Elves once they have traveled west to Valinor and departed from Middle Earth. Tending the earth and fighting any evil that dares to torment us or the race of Men. You see it is up to the immortals to keep the balance and unity of the earth in tact. For if the earth is not in unity then all that live upon it will suffer and immortals can never again walk to earth. We will become merely things of myths and everything beautiful in the world will diminish."  
  
"What are you saying mother?" Celebfaer said, not sure if her mother was suggesting what she thought she was.  
  
"I am saying that you are the first-daughter of the Queen. You will be the one to lead the Fairies out of hiding so that they may walk upon Middle Earth uncloaked and unhindered once more."  
  
"Mother, none of the Fairies like me. Have you not heard what they call me when I am not around? 'Elf-lover'. They think I am bewitched by the Elves and that bringing Legolas here has brought their own doom. They despise me and will never follow me." Celebfaer said. "I shall tell you now mother. If you wish to banish me from the Realm forever I cannot stop you. It would be in your best wishes to." She added, hanging her head in sadness. She would give up seeing her kin again if it meant that she could stay with Legolas. Nothing much mattered to her anymore, so long as she was with Legolas. "I have done as you wished and brought my love to you so that you could see if he was worthy of my love and now if you wish it I shall leave and never return."  
  
"Nonsense. Have you heard what they say about Elysa? Not many like her either and I know that the Council would feel better if they knew that you were to be the one that would rule when I am gone. Elysa would turn the realm into a ruin if she were to rule. All that it took for many generations to build she would destroy within less than a hundred years. You know more about our people than she does! I don't believe she has even read the book on fairy lore yet."  
  
"Do not ask this of me mother. Legolas is the heir to the throne of Eryn Lasgalen and I shall be there to sit beside him when he takes the throne from his father. He will rule Eryn Lasgalen mother and I shall be Queen. I cannot be both Queen of Eryn Lasgalen and Queen of the Fairies."  
  
"You forget something my daughter. You are my first-born and by your birthright you will rule the Fairies. You are my heir and whoever it is that you choose to wed becomes King of the Fairies when you take over the throne. So it will be that both you and Legolas will be King and Queen of Eryn Lasgalen and of the Fairies. You would not have the burden by yourself."  
  
"Mother, I cannot."  
  
"I have already discussed it with the Council. They accept you as rightful heir." She said and Celebfaer looked down at her feet.  
  
"Elysa will never let me rule the kingdom."  
  
"That is why Sabin is her husband and it is law that if any oppose the heir when she comes to claim the throne, they are exiled from the Realm. Our people are not strong enough and we cannot afford the losses that a rebellion would bring." The Queen said and Celebfaer sighed.  
  
"Thank you for allowing me to walk with you mother." Celebfaer said, then she turned and walked through the woods away from her mother. 


	3. Chapter Two: Training

Disclaimer: Anything that is recognizable from Lord of The Rings belongs to Tolkien, not me.  
  
Chapter Two: Training  
  
When she came back to the palace, it was just before breakfast, so going to her room, she found her knives, and donned a cloak then walked the halls until she found Legolas' room. She was quite angry at her mother for dumping such a responsibility on her like that and any servants that saw her did not hinder her as the look on Celebfaer's face said that any who crossed her would see the other end of her knives. So, she thought that the best thing to do would be to work her anger out by practicing her knives and Legolas was the only person in the castle that would practice with her.  
  
Knowing he would be sleeping she walked into his room as quietly as she could, standing above his bed watching him sleep for a few moments. She debated with herself about waking him as he looked so peaceful lying there and seeing that look on his face, smoothed her anger away. But she had come to practice her knives, so silently, she drew one of her knives.  
  
But before she could think about playing a prank on him, Legolas had jumped from the bed, one of his own knives in his hands and twisted her around, holding the arm with her knife in it behind her back, while his own knife was millimeters away from her neck. She had not thought he had been awake, or that he slept with his knives, but obviously he did. Elves slept with their eyes open, so she had thought that he had just been asleep.  
  
"You will die for this." Legolas whispered in her ear, so she spoke before his knife got any closer to her neck and started to draw blood.  
  
"Legolas, do you wish to kill me?"  
  
Shock creped into his body and he let her go, so she turned around to look at him.  
  
"Celebfaer." He said, unimpressed and she laughed.  
  
"I merely wanted to know if you wanted to practice. My fighting abilities will worsen if I do not practice them." She said and Legolas laughed then pulled her close to him.  
  
"Melamin, you know I will beat you. And your fighting skills have already weakened." He said softly, talking into her ear as he nuzzled it lightly.  
  
"Legolas..." She started but he leaned down and kissed her, stopping her from saying what she had wanted to say.  
  
"Speaking of us.." He started and she looked up at him, wondering where he had gotten that topic from. "We are wedded yet we are not allowed to share the same room." He added already starting an argument that they had several times a day since they had arrived in the Realm and Celebfaer laughed.  
  
"Legolas we are wedded according to Elvish lore. But we are not wedded in the eyes of the Fairies and it is not proper for us to bed together unless we are."  
  
"But I am an Elf and Elves tend to act rather strange when they are kept from their rights as a husband." Legolas said trying to be serious, but she saw straight through it and she laughed.  
  
"But I do not keep you from your rights as a husband Legolas. You protect me and please me in every way possible.." She started with a grin and Legolas leaned down and kissed her.  
  
"Melamin would you allow me the pleasure of...." He started once they broke off, mumbling the rest of what he was going to say in her ear, but she did not hear it, as she had heard a noise outside the room. So, she stopped him by putting a finger to his lips, wondering why his hearing had not picked it up too.  
  
"Shhh..." She started, then she coked her head to the side, listening for any more noises that could be coming from outside of the room. Smiling she nodded to the door then looked up at Legolas. "Come, let us practice, for the day is getting old and I need all the practice I can get." She said loudly.  
  
"If you would allow me to fetch my knives, we can be going." Legolas said in response, kissing her quickly as he pulled on some clothes.  
  
When he was done, she looked at him then smiled. "You are delectable." She said softly, then flapped her wings, rising up so that she could kiss him lightly on the nose before she took his hand in hers and he picked up his knives on the way out.  
  
"Mildred?" Celebfaer said when she walked out, seeing him walking down the hallway, away from Legolas' door. He was already halfway, but when he turned around to face her, she caught a look on his face that said he had been listening at the door. "What are you doing on this side of the palace?"  
  
"Looking for one of my men." He replied gruffly and Celebfaer smiled then Mildred disappeared around a corner.  
  
"Come Legolas, we shall have to be more careful. There are spies about." Celebfaer said looking at the spot where Mildred had disappeared, then turning and leading Legolas in the opposite direction but towards the training grounds.  
  
Once out in the training yards, they both drew their two knives.  
  
"Celebfaer I will not fight you as I normally would." Legolas said, he did not think it was proper for him to be fighting his own wife with knives.  
  
"Do not hold back Legolas, because if you do I shall not stop my blade from biting into your flesh." She said and the look in her eyes scared him a little.  
  
"Melamin is this really necessary?" He asked her and she looked at him.  
  
"Legolas you are the only person in the whole Realm skilled enough to fight me with the knives and Haldir said that I should practice as often as I can." She said with a smile and Legolas sighed.  
  
"Okay, then let us begin." He replied, giving in.  
  
The two were out in the training yards alone for a few hours before the kingdom got wind of what they were doing and before they knew it, they were surrounded by people of the City all watching them and wondering why Celebfaer was training with weapons.  
  
'Melamin, it appears we have an audience.' Celebfaer sent to Legolas and he smiled at her.  
  
'Then we had better put on a good show.' He replied in her head as he had realized that she was a lot better than he had first thought, so he had needed to use all of his skill to try and better her.  
  
They trained still under the gaze of the people of the City, but it appeared to the other Fairies that neither Legolas nor Celebfaer noticed that they were being watched. They fought as though the other was a foe and neither had an advantage over the other. When it looked like one of them had the upper hand, the other would do something unpredictable and so they would continue to fight, changing from attacking to defending every few minutes. Never tiring, but concentrating on trying to win.  
  
It was mid afternoon when Mildred heard of what was happening and he raced down to the training fields to see that it was indeed true. Celebfaer was fighting Legolas the Elf, with real blades and neither seemed to be winning.  
  
Looking around at the crowd, Mildred saw several of the guard watching the fight, but a cloaked figure watching the pair intently caught his eye. Looking a little closer at the figure, Mildred realized it was Sabin.  
  
'Sabin, we must stop this.' Mildred sent to Sabin, shielding his thoughts from all but Sabin, and Sabin just turned to look straight at Mildred, as though he was not surprised to see the Head of the Queen's guard there.  
  
'She is angry at something, though I do not think it is him.' Sabin sent back, turning to look at the battle once more. 'And they are training, not fighting.'  
  
'But we must stop it. If she is to be Queen, then this is no way to act in front of her subjects.'  
  
'They love her for it. She pushes all the boundaries Mildred and they love her for it. She's the one. She will lead us back into Middle Earth.'  
  
'I am going to stop this now before he hurts her..' Mildred started ignoring what Sabin had just said, though he heard Sabin's laughter in his head as well as his response that cut him off.  
  
'He would not hurt a hair on her head Mildred. He is so in control of his weapons that he would stop them before they touched her flesh. He moves as though they were connected to his body and he has complete control. Watch for a while and you may learn a few things.'  
  
'I do not care, this cannot continue.' Mildred sent angrily, ignoring Sabin's last comment, which was the cause for some of his anger. Then Mildred strode onto the field, heading for where they were training.  
  
Celebfaer sensed someone approaching behind her, so as a final effort, she lunged at Legolas and because his concentration flickered slightly to look at who was approaching, his knife fell from his hand. Celebfaer did not waste time concentrating on Legolas, she had turned to face whoever approached her, ready to do battle and anger in her eyes, which only flared more when she saw it was Mildred.  
  
"It seems you have won Celebfaer." Mildred said and she looked over to where Legolas was standing, suspicion on his face as he looked at Mildred, but she did not drop her weapon.  
  
'Why were you spying on Legolas?' She sent to Mildred and he looked at her, then dropped his gaze in shame. 'Do you know the penalty for spying Mildred?'  
  
Mildred nodded. 'Death.' He replied then he looked up at her, lifting his chin, slightly. 'But if I am to die for treason, then I would wish it to be you that killed me.' He sent, his chin still raised inviting her to carry out the penalty there, with her blades, but she shook her head.  
  
'I will not kill you, but I do not want to see you spying on Legolas ever again.' She sent and Mildred nodded. So she lowered her weapon, then turned around to Legolas and bowed. "It was an honor to fight such a great warrior." She said and Legolas smiled then bowed back.  
  
"The honor was mine, melamin." He said then he switched to Elvish. "But I let you win." He said then he offered his arm to her and she smiled.  
  
"I doubt that my prince." She said also in Elvish, sheathing her knives then taking his arm as she did.  
  
"If you will allow me the pleasure of proving it Celebfaer, I would be all to happy to show you why I let you win, though we would need to go somewhere more private." He said in Elvish once more and she laughed as they walked from the training field, receiving applause from the people of the City.  
  
************************************  
  
That night at dinner, Legolas and Celebfaer arrived a little after everyone else and they walked into the room oblivious of everyone else except each other. Elysa snorted when she saw them.  
  
"Look at her, she looks like a puppy following it's master and begging to be fed something nice. And looking at an Elf like that! She will ruin the family name." Elysa hissed and Sabin turned to look at her.  
  
"Elysa my love, do you not remember when we were first wedded we were like that also?" He asked.  
  
"Not by choice." Elysa muttered under her breath and Sabin looked at her in shock.  
  
"Are you saying you do not love me Elysa?" He asked, appearing shocked, though he knew the truth. He was no fool and it did not take him long to work out where Elysa went when she needed 'time alone' as she called it.  
  
Elysa looked up in shock as though she was just realizing that she had spoken out loud. "Of course I do Sabin." Elysa replied smiling up at him, battering her eyelids but the love that should have been in her eyes was just not there and he could sense her worry about something, though he knew what it was.  
  
That was when Legolas and Celebfaer finally made it to the table.  
  
"Sorry we were late mother." Celebfaer said, bowing to the Queen. "Legolas got carried away with the story he was telling me of the battle at Helm's Deep." She added, looking to Legolas under her eyelashes as he quickly stole a sidelong glance in her direction and the Queen looked at Celebfaer then nodded.  
  
"It is alright daughter, though you could have asked a maid to have your meal sent to you so that Legolas was not disturbed in his tale." The Queen said knowing perfectly well that he had not been telling her about Helm's Deep, but Sabin looked at him in surprise.  
  
"You were in the battle at Helm's Deep? I have heard that they were out numbered almost five to one."  
  
"We were." Legolas said. "But the King of Rohan was very noble indeed as are all of the Riders of Rohan. We were there because we were delayed in a quest and told to help where we were needed."  
  
"We? Were you there also Celebfaer?" Sabin asked, his eyes flickering to look at her and she shook her head.  
  
"Nay, I was not."  
  
"When I say 'we' I mean Aragorn, son of Arathorn, King of Gondor and of Men and Gimli son of Gloin of the Dwarven race." Legolas said looking at Sabin. "They are my closest friends."  
  
"You must have seen some great battles to have been friends with Aragorn. It is said that he led an army of ghosts off to war to defeat Sauron."  
  
"They were not ghosts exactly. Just oath breakers that were sworn to come back when the heir of Numenor was in great need. I was there also."  
  
"The war of the ring? You were there and survived, surely you must be a great warrior."  
  
"My love, do not ruin dinner with talk of foul things. There is no war that threatens the Fairies and there never will be." Elysa said then looking up at Sabin, flashes of anger in her eyes.  
  
"Legolas, you are upsetting my sister, so I'm afraid we shall have to finish our conversation after dinner." Celebfaer said then, looking only at Legolas and he nodded.  
  
"Indeed we shall." He replied with a hint of a smile, which Celebfaer ignored then turned to her sister's husband.  
  
"Sabin, you are more than welcome to join us if you wish and Legolas will tell you more of his travels with Lord Aragorn and Master Gimli." Celebfaer said.  
  
But before Sabin could answer, Elysa but in once again. "My husband cannot I'm sorry, tonight is the night that we spend walking through the gardens." She said glaring at Celebfaer.  
  
"Very well, maybe some other time Sabin."  
  
"Yes." He replied looking at his plate.  
  
The Queen watched the exchange with keen interest. Seeing Elysa glare at Celebfaer was just another sign that she would never be able to rule the Realm properly. A Queen was not supposed to show emotions to any, except for her husband. Anger was the worst emotion that a Queen could display, for her enemies saw it as a weakness.  
  
So they ate dinner with little chatter and once it was over, Celebfaer faked a yawn.  
  
"Our training today must have been harder than I first thought Legolas." She said, then she turned to her mother. "If you will excuse me mother, but I am rather tired." Celebfaer added, standing up.  
  
"I shall escort you to your room, Celebfaer." Legolas said, standing also and excusing himself from the table.  
  
Taking the arm that he offered, Celebfaer allowed herself to be led from the room. But Legolas led her towards his room, not her own.  
  
"I assume we will be able to finish our conversation Celebfaer, if you are not too tired that is." He said and she smiled at him, then nodded.  
  
"I believe I can stay awake a little longer." She said and Legolas smiled also.  
A/N: That's the first two chapters, so please leave me a review to tell me what you think. Even if you hated it, tell me what was wrong with it too, all reviews are accepted.  
  
Thanks. 


	4. Chapter Three: The Waterhole

A/N: Hey thanks to the three people that reviewed... Sorry it's been a while since I updated, but I've been too busy to write.. second year uni is a lot more work than I thought it would be!  
  
Lady Katanya - thank you for returning to read another of my stories.. I wonder if you'll be able to pick what happens in this one as well.. I hope it will be as good as Celebfaer - Silverspirit was and that this one doesn't disappoint. Enjoy!  
  
Lyn - thanks so much for saying I have talent.. It's nice to know that people like what I write, but to hear someone say I have talent, you made me blush! I feel bad about Sabin too, but Fairies can't get a divorce, I don't think it was invented back then, although I do have a plan for him... but it won't come out for a while yet. The next few chapters I think.  
  
violet-angel07 - Thanks for the review, I'm glad to hear that you like the story. Hope this chapter is as good as you hoped.  
  
Well, here's the next chapter, I hope you all enjoy it!  
  
Cheers!  
Disclaimer: All references to Lord of the Rings are taken from Tolkien and are not my own ideas. But everything else is!!  
Chapter Three: The Waterhole  
  
The next day, Celebfaer and Legolas went for a walk in the gardens of the palace and Celebfaer pointed out the different flowers, saying their name, first in Elvish, then in the tongue of the Fairies. Then once he had learned that, she taught him what their symbolism was in Fairy lore.  
  
She had decided to teach Legolas some of the Fairy speech so that he would understand some of what people said to him, if she was not there. Though all the fairies were trained in the Common Tongue, few actually spoke it so it would have been handy for Legolas to know a few words, to save confusion. She had taught him most of what he would need for general conversation and Legolas had almost mastered the art, but she thought that a good way to pass the day would be for him to learn the names of meaningless objects, such as flowers. Also she wanted to teach him the names of the flowers in case her mother allowed them to wed, because the flowers that the female fairy wore in her hair at the ceremony were supposed to represent what their life together would be like.  
  
So, they were walking along, when Celebfaer saw Sabin walking through the gardens, looking like he was looking for something.  
  
"Sabin, would you care to join us?" Celebfaer called to him and Sabin looked up to see who it was before looking around then finally nodding.  
  
"What are you doing?" He asked her and she laughed.  
  
"Teaching Legolas the names of certain flowers in our tongue and what they represent." She said and Sabin laughed, then trailed along with them for a little while, attempting the Elvish names occasionally himself.  
  
Eventually the three of them grew tired of walking around and so they sat down under the shade of a tree, enjoying the peace of the gardens. Celebfaer's mother had gotten the gardens enchanted so that they were always in flower, so the garden was always wonderful at any time of the year.  
  
"Legolas, may I ask where you learnt your skills with the knife?" Sabin asked after a while and Legolas smiled.  
  
"I learnt when I was an elfling. The Head of the Guard taught me. My father has made it compulsory for every male elfling to be trained in both the knife and bow. There were always dangers in Mirkwood forest, but my father helped us so that we would not be caught unaware. However, I never quite enjoyed the knife as much as I did the bow." Legolas said with a smile on his face as he remembered.  
  
"His aim with the bow is hard to be beaten." Celebfaer said to Sabin, then she looked straight at Legolas. "And he always gets his target." She added and Sabin raised an eyebrow in interest.  
  
"Really? Then you would have been a powerful ally at Helm's Deep." Sabin said looking at Legolas, who nodded in response.  
  
"Everyone had their part. Even Gimli, the Dwarf, who could barely look his opponents in the eye." Legolas said with a smile. "We were outnumbered and we lost many, but just when it looked as though we would fall, the sun rose, bringing us new hope and with it Gandalf the White, along with half an army." Legolas said, then he started into an account of his travels with Aragorn and Gimli, relaying everything that had happened after the Fellowship had left Lothlorien.  
  
Celebfaer had not heard the full tale, so she listened with great interest, smiling at how well Sabin and Legolas were getting along. She liked that they did, because if what her mother had said was true, then Legolas was the future King of the Fairies and if his subjects did not get along with him, then there would be no hope for her as a Queen, because she did not want to live without Legolas, even if it meant exile from her own people. Legolas did not know that he might one day be King of Fairies, but if the timing was right and if her mother would allow them to wed according to Fairy lore, then he would be told. She was secretly hoping that it would not come to that, but if it did, she had to be prepared for it and she wanted Legolas to be as well.  
  
They talked for so long, enthralled in the tale, that they did not realize the time and before they knew it they were going to be late for dinner. So they stood up and walked off to the dinning hall, Legolas still continuing his tale.  
  
When they entered the room, only slightly late, Elysa threw Celebfaer a murderous look, before glaring at her husband. Celebfaer sighed to see it, because Sabin really did not deserve her. Elysa was a selfish little brat that did not care for the feelings of others. Sabin would always be the best that he could, but it would never be enough for Elysa. It made Celebfaer sad to see the male fairy being abused as such, when he deserved so much more. But there was nothing that she could do about it.  
  
So the three sat down, not ceasing the conversation and the Queen was even interested to hear it also, so Elysa suffered in silence this time. She even excused herself from the table early, declining Sabin's offer of escort to her room and leaving him to look at her retreating back with a sad look on his face.  
  
"Sabin, are you unhappy with Elysa, because my offer still stands..." The Queen said softly, so only the head table could hear her and Sabin shook his head then looked at the Queen.  
  
"And my answer remains the same. My wife is just not herself of late. She has been feeling a little off colour of late." He said in a mumbled tone and the Queen frowned in concern.  
  
"Is she ill? Shall I send for the healer?" She asked and Sabin shook his head once more.  
  
"That will be unnecessary, my Lady." Sabin said bowing his head to look at his plate.  
  
"Sabin, surely if my sister is ill, then the healer must make an examination." Celebfaer said, concern on her face also, but Sabin shook his head.  
  
"It shall be alright Celebfaer." He said, but he still did not look up, so the Queen changed the subject by asking Legolas another question about the War of the Ring.  
  
Celebfaer did not listen, instead she looked at Sabin, who looked back at her, then quickly looked away, trying to listen to what Legolas was saying.  
  
'Sabin, what is this about?' Celebfaer sent to him, shielding it so that only Sabin could hear it and he looked back at her.  
  
'As I said, nothing.' He replied.  
  
'What has she done?'  
  
'Celebfaer she is my wife and I keep her secrets.' He sent back turning his head to look at Celebfaer with an unreadable look on his face, so she did not pursue it any further.  
  
So, Celebfaer sat there thinking for a minutes before she stood up, causing the conversation to come to a halt. The Queen, Sabin and Legolas all looked at her with puzzled looks on their faces.  
  
"I think I shall retire." She said and her mother frowned at her.  
  
"Why Celebfaer? Are you ill too?"  
  
"Nay. I am a little tired." Celebfaer replied and the Queen nodded.  
  
"Then I shall escort you.." Legolas started, but she shook her head.  
  
"You have not finished your tale Legolas, and I know my way." She said. 'I shall see you in the morning, melamin.' She sent to him and he nodded.  
  
"As you wish." He said, then as she walked away she heard the conversation continue at the table.  
  
********************************  
  
The next few weeks went past and before long, Celebfaer began to forget that her sister was ill, for she certainly didn't look ill. The Queen had been starting to teach Legolas a lot about Fairy customs and sometimes Celebfaer watched, but others she walked around the garden by herself, Sabin joining her occasionally. Or she went down to tend the horses as the stable hand had reported that both their horses, particularly the horse Legolas rode, refused to let him near them. So, Celebfaer went down every morning to feed them and rub them down so that they didn't cause too much trouble.  
  
Celebfaer had also noticed that she saw Mildred a lot more than she was used to. He seemed to be always up at the palace, and never training the rest of the guards in the fields. When Celebfaer asked him about it he had said that the Queen had asked him to patrol the palace grounds instead of train the others, because she had found a replacement.  
  
So, it had been almost six months since their arrival at the Fairy Realm, when the Queen requested for Celebfaer to come to the library with Legolas for one of his lessons. The lessons had become a daily event and the Queen expected as much of Legolas as Galadriel had of Celebfaer when she had been under her care. Though Legolas did not have to do the meditations and the rest of the work, the Queen expected him to remember most of what she taught him and she tended to ask him questions about the last lesson at the start of the next. This lesson was on the history of the Fairies and Celebfaer did not know why Legolas needed to know it, nor why her mother had requested her presence.  
  
So, when her mother wasn't looking, Celebfaer went for a wonder in the library, researching spells and summonings. She still needed to learn about what the spells she knew did, because she knew them, but she did not know their correct use or what to do with them. Her lessons had never really been finished and she needed to know in case a spell she used one day backfired and she killed herself, or worse, Legolas.  
  
The lesson took up the whole morning and after lunch Celebfaer and Legolas were free to roam where they wished. So, Celebfaer took Legolas up to her room, where she changed her dress into a silver more fairy-like dress and Legolas smiled, then pulled her down so that she was sitting on his knee, where he started to nuzzle her ear and neck, but fearing they would be seen and told off, Celebfaer pulled herself away from him.  
  
"Legolas, shall we go for a ride in the woods?" She asked before he could protest about her leaving and he threw her a look.  
  
"Celebfaer, it is your private rooms. I do not think we shall be disturbed." He said and she laughed.  
  
"Servants. They come in here to clean and they could walk in at any moment." She said. "And we have not been for a ride the whole time we have been here! Our horses must be itching for a ride." She said, then she looked straight into his eyes, pleading with him. 'And I know of a place where we shall not be disturbed.' She sent to him and nodded.  
  
"As you wish, my Lady." He said, the hint of a smile on his lips.  
  
Celebfaer just laughed then stood up and led the way to the stables.  
  
At the stables, they rubbed their horses down then took them out for a warm up run around the yard, before mounting and riding off through the trees. They rode for no longer than half an hour until they came to the place Celebfaer had mentioned. It was the waterhole that Mildred had shown her once and she smiled when she saw Legolas' reaction.  
  
"It is beautiful." He said a smile on his face and she laughed, then dismounted, letting her horse graze where it wanted.  
  
Legolas did the same, but she ran off, before he could get close, running to the edge of the water, then running out along the surface of it, staying above it and not getting the tiniest bit wet. Legolas looked at her in wonder, he could not believe what he was seeing. Looking at her wings, they flapped softly as though a gentle breeze pushed them, but he did not believe it was them that were holding her above the water.  
  
"Come and join me melamin, if you can catch me!" She said, running to the middle of the water and turning to watch him as he stripped off his tunic and took off his shoes, so that he was wearing only his leggings and ran into the water after her, making a huge splash as he dived down under the surface. He could not walk on water as she did, though they could both walk on snow as they had discovered during their journey to Lothlorien all those years ago.  
  
When he did not resurface, Celebfaer started to panic and flapping her wings she tipped herself upside down, hovering above the water so that her nose was almost touching the water and her legs were in the air. She was searching under the surface for any sign of him that she could see.  
  
She saw a movement, but before she could pull back, it came to the surface, wrapped its arms around her and pulled her into the water. Laughing, she pushed Legolas down as she swum up to the surface. He came up a few seconds after her, then before she could speak he pulled her into his arms and kissed her.  
  
He kissed her as though it had been years since their last kiss and as though he wanted to treasure this kiss forever because it would be their last. She had never had him kiss her like this and the emotion behind it scared her. Celebfaer tried to break away from him, but Legolas would not let her and she knew she would have to break off soon or else she would not be able to stop herself.  
  
The kiss lasted for what seemed like an eternity and when they finally broke off, Celebfaer was breathless and she looked into Legolas' eyes with shock and surprise written all over her face. The emotions in his eyes were so intense that it surprised her all the more. What she saw in his eyes was a love for her that came from the very core of his being and along with that love was the happiness that he was feeling. It was so intense that she realized at that moment, why Elves are able to die of grief, because they are so passionate about everything that their heart and soul is put into it. So, without their heart or their soul, they will eventually die, deprived of their passion.  
  
"Melamin, thank you for bringing me here." Legolas said softly and she nodded.  
  
"Thank you for allowing me to." She replied just as softly, then she kissed him again, this time not caring what the consequences were.  
  
The distance that they had to keep when they were in the presence of other fairies was starting to get to her too and she longed for the freedom that they had among the elves. There they could flirt and show any kind of affection towards each other that they liked, but with the fairies it was different. Though they were married by Elvish lore, the fairies made them sleep in separate beds and keep their distance as though they were merely friends. They were just waiting to see the two do more than that before they could pull them down and have the Queen banish Celebfaer from the Realm. Elysa was the one who wanted it the most and when they were around her they never mentioned anything remotely related to their relationship because Elysa was waiting to pounce on Celebfaer and bring her down. Celebfaer had never done anything to her sister but the girl hated her with a passion.  
  
A little while later Celebfaer and Legolas came out of the waterhole, saturated in water and oblivious to their environment and walking hand in hand.  
  
"We can't go back to the City like this melamin." Celebfaer said looking down at her saturated dress.  
  
"You can tell them I went for a swim and pulled you in after me." Legolas said smiling and she looked at him, unimpressed.  
  
"Let us lie in the sun to dry off." She said and Legolas nodded, then they found a patch of ground that was dry and in the sun, then lay down, side by side, Legolas looking up at the sky and Celebfaer on her stomach, huddled close to Legolas with her head resting on his chest.  
  
They lay there in a comfortable silence, Legolas, deep in thought, a frown forming on his face occasionally before it disappeared, while Celebfaer lay enjoying the late afternoon sun, the rise and fall of Legolas' chest, slowly putting her to sleep.  
  
"Celebfaer?" Legolas said softly when they were almost dry and Celebfaer opened her eyes then propped herself up on her elbows to look down at him.  
  
"Yes?" She asked sleepily, wondering what he was thinking about, because he only called her by her name if he was thinking deeply about something.  
  
"Would you ever want a child?" He asked and she frowned at him, then started playing with his hair, as she always did when they were lying awake and talking.  
  
"Of course I would, why do you ask?"  
  
"Well, is it possible that you would be with child."  
  
"What do you mean?" She asked, as she stopped playing with his hair and looked down into his eyes.  
  
"Is it possible to have a half-elf half-fairy child?" He asked her and she smiled.  
  
"Of course it is."  
  
"How do you know?" He asked, sounded distressed.  
  
"I cannot tell you, so you will have to trust me." She said, then put a finger to his lips to stop him from speaking. "Legolas, if you are worried about children, you should not, for we will have as many as you like one day!" She said, leaning down to kiss him tenderly. "I promise." She said, smiling at him.  
  
"Sooner than later, melamin. You are with child." He said softly and she searched his face for a few seconds to see if he was lying, before laughing.  
  
"Legolas, surely you jest!" She said and he shook his head.  
  
"If you are not with child now, then you will be before the years end." He said and she laughed again.  
  
"What makes you so sure?" She asked and Legolas sighed.  
  
"I cannot tell you, so you will just have to trust me." Legolas said with a smile and Celebfaer laughed, then punched him playfully, as he pulled her on top of him and kissed her.  
  
"As much as I wish this day would never end, eventually it will, melamin." Celebfaer said when they broke off and Legolas nodded. "Come now, let us call the horses and head back to the palace, it is almost time for dinner and we dare not to be late." She added, using her wings to help her get up before he could make her forget what she had just said.  
  
Legolas just nodded, then got up and he whistled so that both the horses came running. "Let us go back then." He said, so they mounted and returned to the palace.  
  
They had a little time before dinner, so they rubbed down their horses and fed them before heading up to the dinning hall.  
  
Dinner was as normal, the Queen, Sabin, Legolas and Celebfaer held a conversation, while Elysa ate her dinner quickly and quietly. She finished long before everyone else, but due to custom, she waited for the Queen to finish at least before she yawned.  
  
"I am rather tired, so if I may be excused mother?" Elysa asked, looking at the Queen, who in turn nodded.  
  
When they were all finished dinner, they stayed up talking for a short while, before they all retired and went to bed. 


	5. Chapter Four: Spies

A/N: Hi all sorry its taken so long to update, but I got really busy at uni and I've finally gotten time to get to the computer and update the story. Hope you all enjoy it. By the way I am working on another story, but I'm not sure if I'm going to publish it yet. Anyway enjoy.  
  
Disclaimer: Refer to the previous chapters.. Pretty much Tolkien owns it, I don't.  
  
Chapter Four: Spies  
  
After dinner that night Celebfaer walked Legolas back to his room and she sat up with him for a little while, talking about whatever came to mind. Eventually however, Celebfaer realized how late it was and decided to leave.  
  
On the way back, she ran into Mildred in the halls, halfway between her room and the room Legolas had been staying in.  
  
"Celebfaer, a little late to be walking the corridors isn't it?" Mildred said, throwing her a questioning look.  
  
"Likewise with you, Mildred. The Head of the Queen's guard walking around after hours could be thought of to be spying." She replied, looking at him suspiciously.  
  
"As I have said before, if I am to be killed for spying, I would wish it to be you that carried out the punishment."  
  
"Mildred, I do not want to kill you..." She asked trailing off, as Mildred cut in.  
  
"What does Legolas have that I do not?" Mildred asked softly and Celebfaer looked at him, a little shocked.  
  
"It is not a matter of what he has that you do not Mildred."  
  
"Then why?" Mildred asked. "Why did you leave? True, I told the Queen to talk to you about it, but I didn't think you would leave."  
  
"Mildred, I could not have lived a lie, knowing that he was still alive. I am more Elvish than I am Fairy as much as I hate to admit it."  
  
"Then why did you come back?" He snapped, bitterly.  
  
"Because the Queen requested it. We can all try to run from who we really are, but in the end we cannot hide from it. I have lived in and seen the way of the Elves and for Legolas to be able to understand me and my people, he must also see the way of the Fairies." She said and Mildred sighed.  
  
"But you said it yourself, you are more Elvish in your manner, so it would not matter whether he saw what we are or not."  
  
"But it would matter Mildred. You of all people should know that."  
  
"Why?" Mildred asked, a frown on his face.  
  
"Just think about it Mildred. You and Legolas are more similar than you think." She said then she turned and walked off, leaving him with a puzzled look on his face.  
  
The next few days passed by rather quickly and were quite eventless. However, Celebfaer had started to notice that Elysa was starting to leave the table early more frequently. Elysa had only within the last week started to leave the table early more frequently. Eventually it got to the point where Elysa had left the dinner early for the past three nights and Celebfaer was keen to see where she was going.  
  
So that night when Elysa left early once again, Celebfaer was very suspicious. It seemed as though Sabin, Legolas or the Queen had even noticed that it had been the fourth night in a row that Elysa had left the table. Celebfaer thought it odd, that each night Elysa had left the table early, without her escort of Sabin. Sabin had indeed stopped asking Elysa if she needed to be escorted and Celebfaer knew that Elysa was up to something, so she decided to find out.  
  
Celebfaer waited for a few minutes after Elysa had left before she too yawned.  
  
"I think I shall retire as well." She said and Legolas threw her a concerned look. "It is alright, melamin." She said and he nodded then continued talking to the Queen.  
  
Walking straight out of the dinning room, Celebfaer sent a shielded probe towards her sister's mind that would tell her where she was, but would not alert Elysa that anyone was looking for her.  
  
She was out in the garden, so quickly Celebfaer headed in that direction.  
  
When she got close to the spot she heard voices.  
  
"... around the gardens." A male voice was saying then it paused.  
  
"Please do not let me stop you, I am.... Thinking." Elysa's voice said.  
  
"Then, they got their horses from the stables and went for a ride in the woods to the waterhole." The male voice said.  
  
"And did they do anything of interest at the waterhole?"  
  
"Well." Said the male voice, then he cleared his throat and Celebfaer realized who it was and who they were talking about.  
  
Quickly, Celebfaer closed her eyes and sent a message, first to Legolas then to Sabin.  
  
'Come to the gardens as soon as you can get here.' She sent to both and the answers came back immediately.  
  
'Are you in danger, melamin?' Legolas sent, but she sent back that she was ok, but it was important that he come to the gardens and to bring Sabin with him.  
  
'Celebfaer, why?' Sabin sent back.  
  
'There is something you need to see.' She replied then she sat back and waited, listening to the two people in the gardens hardly able to believe what she was hearing.  
  
The male fairy was talking about what she and Legolas had been doing at the waterhole that day and Celebfaer's cheeks started to turn red. She had taken Legolas there because she knew it was a place that they would not be disturbed.  
  
She spotted Legolas first and she quickly put a finger to her lips so that he knew not to speak, and he just nodded, as did Sabin who came around the corner.  
  
"Interesting. Very interesting." Elysa said and Sabin jumped slightly at the sound of it.  
  
"Then while they lay there they talked for a while before he turned to her and told her that she would be with child by the end of the year. To which she just laughed and told him that he must be jesting, but the look on his face seemed rather serious." The male voice said and Celebfaer looked at Legolas, to see him start to shake with anger, but he turned to look at her and she smiled then put her hand in his.  
  
"It was but the truth melamin." Legolas whispered softly, and Sabin looked from Legolas to Celebfaer then shook his head.  
  
"This can't be what I think it is!" He said softly as well and Celebfaer nodded.  
  
"Mildred and Elysa." Celebfaer repeated.  
  
"This must stop." Sabin said, then he listened to the conversation for a moment more before turning and walking away.  
  
A few seconds later they heard exclamations from the clearing where Mildred and Elysa had been discussing Legolas and Celebfaer.  
  
"Sabin!" Mildred's voice said.  
  
"Sabin, what are you doing here?" Elysa's angry voice said.  
  
"Elysa, I told you that this is not a game anymore. You must stop this nonsense." He said.  
  
"It appears that my sister may be with child, Sabin. She is not wedded but she may be with child, you know what the court will say to that." Elysa said, smugly.  
  
"They are wedded by Elvish Lore Elysa!" Sabin protested.  
  
"But not by Fairy Lore. She will never be accepted as the first-daughter now." Elysa said and Celebfaer shook her head then grabbed Legolas' hand then they walked to where the three were now fighting.  
  
Mildred went white when he saw her and Elysa smiled smugly.  
  
"Celebfaer, I should have known you would show up!" Elysa said.  
  
But Celebfaer ignored her this time her fight was with Mildred. "You were spying? The Queen will hear of this!" She said and Mildred went whiter, he knew what that would mean.  
  
"I was under the instruction of the first-daughter." Mildred said and Celebfaer shrugged.  
  
"So you both will be reported." She said and Elysa slapped Mildred.  
  
"Fool!" Elysa said and Sabin grabbed his wife's hand before she could slap Mildred again.  
  
"Elysa that is quite enough!" Sabin said angrily and she glared at him but ignored him, though she did not struggle from his grip.  
  
"So Celebfaer, is it true? No doubt you heard what Mildred reported."  
  
"Is what true?" Celebfaer asked.  
  
"Are you with child?"  
  
"Nay, I am not." She replied. "Legolas says I am with child to humor me." She replied.  
  
Elysa nodded, with a small smile appearing on her face. "Well then." She said, looking at Sabin. "Shall we retire?" She asked him and he nodded.  
  
"Yes my love." He said but the last two words sounded hollow and rehearsed.  
  
So they left, leaving Celebfaer and Legolas with Mildred.  
  
"Celebfaer.." Mildred started, but Celebfaer held up a hand to silence him.  
  
"I shall let leave with a warning Mildred. Do not spy on me or Legolas, because the next time I catch you, I shall tell the Queen and you know her thoughts on spies." She said then she too walked off, Legolas in her wake. 


	6. Chapter Five: Linking With The Council

Chapter Five: Linking with the Council  
  
After the incident in the gardens, Celebfaer no longer saw Mildred at all and Elysa had taken to sneering every time she saw either Celebfaer or Legolas.  
  
But after another three months had passed, the Queen called a Council with her highest advisors. She also requested the presence of Elysa, Sabin, Celebfaer and Legolas, which puzzled Celebfaer because her mother never called a Council unless the details that were to be discussed were of utmost importance. The council was so private that two members of the Queen's guard were put at the doors leading into the chamber and told not to let any intrude for any reason whatsoever.  
  
Once all were present in the room, Asura asked them to be seated, then looked at each of them in turn before she spoke.  
  
"This is to be a closed Council." She said and the gasp that went through the room was clearly audible. The Queen never called a closed Council and normally when the Queen did it was to discuss the threat of war or something equally as horrible that she did not want the rest of the City to know about.  
  
"A closed Council?" Elysa said, disapprovingly. "Then why was an 'Elf' invited? Elves are incapable of communicating with the Fairy folk in such a thing as a closed Council." She added with a small smile of satisfaction on her face. It quickly turned to dissatisfaction at the Queen's next words.  
  
"Obviously you are not as well educated as I had thought daughter." Asura said, throwing a cold stare in Elysa's direction. "Celebfaer is wedded to Legolas by Elvish terms and I believe that this union involved some sort of bonding similar to that in which we Fairies bond when we wed. Celebfaer will open her mind to Legolas and I will then link with the two of them. Then the rest of you will all link through me, so he will hear us and be able to take part in the discussion." The Queen said and another gasp went through the room.  
  
This time though, Celebfaer was not among them, she just gripped Legolas' hand and smiled up at him.  
  
"Melamin, it will be alright." She said in Elvish and Queen Asura nodded to her.  
  
"Celebfaer, you can go first." Her mother said, so Celebfaer cleared her mind of all thought until she could clearly hear every thought Legolas had.  
  
He was worried and a little scared, which was very unusual for him. So, she tried to reassure him and this time when she spoke in his head he heard it as though she had spoken the words to him through her lips, but the emotion that was behind it made him smile.  
  
'Melamin, I shall not let anything happen. My mother will be directing the council, so if any try to probe your mind they will be stopped and thrown out of the link.'  
  
'What happens if they are thrown out?' He asked her, looking straight into her eyes.  
  
'They risk loosing all of their ability in spirit talking and telepathy, which means they will be a Fairy with no powers at all. Though anyone can leave the council at any time as long as they do it willingly.' She sent back. 'Now if you are ready I shall link us to my mother.. It may feel a little strange at first.' She said and Legolas nodded to her in her head and she smiled then concentrated on opening her mind to her mother.  
  
Less that ten seconds after Celebfaer had stopped talking, Legolas suddenly felt another presence in his head. Looking up to where the Queen stood, he knew it was her. The power and knowledge that was present in that bundle in his head could only have come from the Queen.  
  
'Welcome Legolas. You are quite a fascinating being..' The Queen sent as though she wanted to read all his secrets so that she knew everything there was to know about Elves. But as soon as the feeling was there it was gone and he heard her talking once more. 'But if any try to do anything other than listen and discuss I shall cut off their link. Do not fear, we are all equal in this and I am in complete control.' She sent to him and he nodded.  
  
'Thank you, Queen Asura.' He said.  
  
"Now, the rest of you, one at a time in order of age." Asura said, out loud to the others that were present and Celebfaer closed her eyes. First would be Annook, then Ryan, then Jenya, Sabin and finally Elysa. Annook, Ryan and Jenya were three of the Queens closest advisors and the only three that she would trust with her life.  
  
'Legolas, close you eyes it will make this feel a little less strange.' Celebfaer sent to him and he did, a second before another presence was felt in his head.  
  
When Elysa had finally joined the link the Queen started.  
  
'I am going to say something of importance that must be kept a secret until I say otherwise. I only bid that you all hear me out before you say anything.' She said. 'Now Celebfaer and Legolas have been in the Realm for nine months now, which is enough time for me to get to know him and teach him some of our ways. I have known for quite some time now that Celebfaer has wanted for Legolas to be wedded to her by Fairy Lore. They are wedded by Elvish terms, but not by ours and I believe that Legolas knows enough of our ways to finally become accepted into our house as an equal. So after a brief discussion with Annook we have agreed to allow this marriage.' Queen Asura said. Annook was the Queen's top advisor and normally the first person the Queen saw about all matters.  
  
'This is an outrage!' Elysa's voice burst into their heads with such anger and force that Celebfaer nearly fell. 'Mother I cannot believe you would lower yourself to such a state! He is an 'Elf' and he has no place among us Fairies!'  
  
'Elysa you will be quiet!' Queen Asura said suddenly, so loud that Celebfaer and Legolas both covered their ears even though it was in their heads. 'If you do not react lightly to this then I shall have to throw you out before we discuss the next item on my list!'  
  
The response was utter silence.  
  
'Good, now seeing as there are no objections to the subject of Celebfaer's wedding the preparations shall start today.' She said but Ryan spoke up then.  
  
'He has not been given a challenge, so the people will not accept him as a rightful partner for the heir of the throne.' He said and Elysa blew up once more.  
  
'Heir? She is not Heir! I am the first-daughter to the Queen, Ryan and don't any of you forget it.' She said and this time Sabin spoke up.  
  
'Elysa my love, please be quiet, the Queen has other important news to discuss as well.' He said in a soothing tone, which worked, thankfully. It was almost as though he was talking to a child that would not be able to comprehend the sort of the things the Queen would be discussing next and if Celebfaer did not know better that would have made Elysa furious. But if she erupted again she knew that her mother would throw her out. So she stayed silent.  
  
'In answer to the question Ryan, Legolas was with Mildred on the top of Withered Heath when Celebfaer's wings were cleansed. So I do believe that he will be legible to marry Celebfaer by that. I said that any who wished to wed Celebfaer would have to cleanse her wings or they would not be worthy. He was there so he is worthy of my daughter.' She said. 'But if another challenge is required I think I can find one that is worthy of it.'  
  
'He shall be allowed to wed her. For that challenge was one that not even the bravest of Fairies would have come back from. Legolas has been accepted and proven himself worthy.' Jenya said. The last of Asura's top advisors, Jenya was the youngest being only a thousand years older than Celebfaer herself.  
  
'Legolas has shown much bravery to escort Rydia to the top of Withered Heath, but nothing could be compared to the bravery he has shown by coming to the Realm of the Fairies, not knowing what to expect of our people.' Annook said. 'Legolas has been accepted and proven himself worthy.'  
  
'Legolas fought in one of the worlds greatest battles, the war of the ring, which would have required much courage and strength that many fairies do not possess until they are a lot older than he.' Ryan said. 'Legolas has been accepted and proven himself worthy.'  
  
Then surprisingly Sabin spoke up. It is only customary for three of the Queen's advisors to agree to a union once the challenge has been completed, as it must be done to their liking before the Queen will allow a union between two fairies, but still Sabin spoke up.  
  
'Legolas has shown the greatest courage of all, by loving Celebfaer with all of his being and without fear of what it means. He loves her more than he the air he breathes and any fairy here knows that if a union of our folk is to survive without misery then the deepest kind of love is needed. That is why we fair folk do not bond with another once the other is gone.' Sabin said to utter silence and Celebfaer realized then just how miserable he must be with Elysa. 'Legolas has been accepted and proven himself worthy.'  
  
'So it is settled.' The Queen said, pausing only slightly before she continued. 'And now for the second and last matter that is not open for discussion. This is to be for those present only. The Council is unanimous in this also. This may come as a shock to some of you, but it shall be announced at the wedding, during the feast. I name Celebfaer, Silverspirit, better known as Rydia to our kind, the rightful first-daughter to the Queen. She was first born, so I name her my heir and she will take my place on the throne when I finally depart.' The Queen said.  
  
Instead of outrage from Elysa, she withdrew from the council.  
  
Quickly Celebfaer withdrew also causing Legolas to get a bit of a shock, as she had not prepared him for it and she could have burnt his mind out. But she needed to see Elysa, and Celebfaer caught her by the arm before she could reach the door.  
  
"Leave me alone!" Elysa shouted. "I don't deserve to be treated like this and you.. You were always favoured, even when you were gone for so long. When you showed up again, I hated you even more. You look more like mother, act more like mother and I will never be anything in her eyes compared to you!" Elysa said tears in her eyes and such bitterness and anger in her voice that Celebfaer felt poisoned by her words. "Now let me go!" She said this time her voice unusually calm.  
  
"Elysa if it makes a difference, I never asked for this."  
  
"I don't care! Everyone knows that mother only had me because you were lost from the Realm. Everyone knows that I was only to be heir if we truly found out that you were dead. And everyone knows that you're stronger than me and better than me in every way imaginable. But no one ever thought about me! No one thought about how I would feel. All my life I've been a disappointment to everyone, even my husband, because I could never be you." She said, then she wretched her arm away from Celebfaer's grasp and ran from the room.  
  
Celebfaer stood there looking at where her sister had disappeared for a few moments before she felt Legolas put his hand on her shoulder. She turned to look at him, her eyes welling up with tears. 'We should never have come back.' She sent to him, then taking his hand she led him from the room not wanting to talk to anyone but him.  
  
Amazingly he had recovered from the shock of being released so quickly and suddenly and he was able to walked her back to his rooms, where he held her while she wept for her sister. His head still ached slightly from the jolt she had given him when she had withdrawn them from the council, but holding her and making sure she was alright was more important to him than anything at the point and he would not have moved for anything.  
  
Elysa however had gone straight to her lover. Seeing her distressed he had begged her to tell him what was wrong, and she gave in then told him every detail of the meeting. Then once she finished she knew that because she had betrayed the confidence of the Queen she would be banished from the Realm, so she begged him to run away with her. But he would not, for he knew what they must do. 


	7. Chapter Six: Preparations

A/N: Hi guys, back again finally. I've been busy but I somehow managed to write 2 whole chapters for you guys. Hope you enjoy them,  
  
Cheers.  
  
Chapter Six: Preparations  
  
The Queen organized a ball that was to be held a week later in which the whole kingdom would attend and at the ball the Queen was going to announce the wedding of Legolas to Celebfaer.  
  
But the day after the council, the same day that the ball was announced, Celebfaer went to see her mother.  
  
"Mother, I beg you do not announce me as your heir. Elysa hates me enough as it is and I wish for her to be a friend to me, though I see now that it will never be so. But if you do not give her what she wants then I fear something bad will happen. If need be Legolas and I shall leave the realm and never return. We shall forget about the Fairy Realm and I shall cut off my wings to honor that choice."  
  
"Cut off your wings when I and many others worked so hard for them to be cleansed? That is as good as spitting in my face daughter. Do you wish to shame me so?"  
  
"Nay mother I just want what is right for the peace of our race." She said, her voice slightly shaky. She did not want this responsibility. She did not even want to be Queen of Eryn Lasgalen as she would be one day when King Thranduil departed and Legolas took the throne.  
  
"As do I daughter. You will be much better suited to rule after me, as we both know Elysa is not fit enough to rule. She can barely keep her own husband happy, let alone the whole kingdom. And how do you think it will look when it becomes known that the queen has been taken as concubine?" Asura said and Celebfaer gasped. She had known about Elysa's lover of course, but she did not know if the Queen had and to hear her speak of it in such a manner was quite a shock.  
  
"Of... of what do you speak your highness?" Celebfaer asked, bowing her head slightly.  
  
"I speak of Fiash, Celebfaer."  
  
"How long have you known?" Celebfaer asked and her mother laughed.  
  
"Elysa thinks me a fool but my eyes and ears see her. She will disgrace us, but I knew I should never had let her wed Sabin. He is too good to waste on my second-daughter."  
  
"Can you not do anything mother?" Celebfaer asked and the Queen laughed.  
  
"Exile my own daughter?" She asked, amused. "I cannot and I will not. So I shall just take all of her rights away from her, one by one until he is all she has left. As a Queen you will learn that you must endure some things for the better good of the kingdom."  
  
"I believe the kingdom would see it as the other way around. That she was keeping him to warm her bed, not the other way around."  
  
"You would have Sabin, the rightful King of the Fairies shamed that way?" Asura said and Celebfaer bowed her head in shame. She had not intended for her words to be taken that way.  
  
"I cannot take back my marriage to Legolas, mother and if given the choice, neither would I want to. I do not regret marrying him and if the kingdom will not accept him as King beside me then I shall not be Queen." Celebfaer said and the Queen nodded, touching Celebfaer's face and bringing it up so that Celebfaer was looking straight at her mother.  
  
"I would have it no other way my daughter. It is unfortunate that your heart chose an Elf, and not Sabin or Mildred, but some things must be endured and overlooked for the sake of the kingdom. The fairies will follow you because the Council and I support you. Now I suggest you enjoy the week of freedom that I have given Legolas until the ball, because after the ball you shall be busy with preparations for the wedding."  
  
Celebfaer knew that she had just been dismissed and that the topic was no longer open to discussion. So she bowed to her mother then departed from her rooms.  
  
Legolas was easy enough to find and when she found him she persuaded him to come for a ride with her.  
  
They rode for a while, heading for the back corner of the Realm, Celebfaer did not want to be disturbed and she did not want any ears to hear what she had to say. When they eventually stopped, she leaned over and kissed Legolas, without dismounting from her horse.  
  
"Melamin, you will be King one day." She said.  
  
"Of Eryn Lasgalen and you shall be Queen beside me, Celebfaer." He said and she dismounted from her horse then took the reins of his horse as he dismounted.  
  
"You misunderstand me Legolas." She said, tying the reins of the horses together so they could graze.  
  
"Forgive me, but how do I misunderstand? Will you not be my Queen when I succeed the crown after my father?"  
  
"You will also be King of the Fairies beside me Legolas and the responsibility that we shall have as King and Queen is greater than you will know." She said and he frowned.  
  
"I shall make sacrifices if only to be by your side for eternity."  
  
"Surely you cannot mean..." She started, but he cut her off.  
  
"I shall not travel west. My father and brother will go, but I shall not. It is the price I pay to be your husband. A small price to pay for loving one not of my race." He said and she shook her head.  
  
"No. You will go to Valinor with your kin, I dare not stop you.."  
  
"Not all Elves will travel to the west. Celeborn will not and those that are left shall dwell forever with the trees. I shall forever be with you, melamin." He said and she looked down but he cupped her face with his hands. "Do not despair. My father knows and expects this so he will leave me Eryn Lasgalen and whichever of her people that wish to stay."  
  
"I am not worthy of this sacrifice Legolas."  
  
"You are worthy of my love are you not? You are worthy of me." He said then he leaned forward, so that their foreheads were touching.  
  
"But..." She started, but he placed a finger to her lips.  
  
"Hush, let us not speak of this again. I have made my choice and nothing will sway my decision." He said then he kissed her.  
  
Several hours later, Celebfaer stood up, brushing the grass out of her hair and trying to straighten it, while Legolas lay there, propped up on one elbow, watching her with sudden curiosity.  
  
"Legolas you insist on getting grass in places that grass should not be, not to mention ruining my hair. How will it look when we return as though he have come straight from the marriage bed?" She asked him and he laughed, but still did not say anything, watching her walk around in the field. "But you make me so happy that I feel like dancing!" She said then she jumped upwards, fluttering her wings slightly so that she was lifted off the ground, where she twirled around easily.  
  
It made him smile to see her so happy and it was what he lived for. That smile on her face and the twinkle of light in her eyes that appeared whenever he made her laugh or smile. But today the aura around her looked slightly different than he was used to. In fact it took him a small while to work out what it was and he smiled when the thought occurred to him.  
  
She stopped dancing suddenly, then flew down to where he still lay propped up on one elbow watching her with a content smile on his face.  
  
"Has my love nothing you say?"  
  
"Nay, I am content to look at you." He said and she smiled, then offered him her hands, which he took before she pulled him to his feet.  
  
"Say something at least." She said when he was standing in front of her and he kissed the top of her forehead then pulled her close.  
  
"You are with child." He said and she rolled her eyes then pushed him away slightly.  
  
"With child? Legolas how can I be with child when you know as well as I that today was the first.."  
  
"I know you are with child." He said smiling and cutting her off. "Do not argue with me for I know it to be the truth and if you wait a few weeks we shall fetch a doctor and he shall prove me right." He added. "Now, let us return to the palace before we are late for dinner, yet again."  
  
"How can one argue with that? But I shall prove you wrong in two weeks Legolas." She said, then she ran off to fetch the horses, while he walked slowly behind her, watching her aura once again. What he had seen before was still there, but it was only very faint. He was sure that once the baby began to grow the aura that surrounded her would become much stronger. But for now he was content to wait for her.  
  
*****************************  
  
Soon enough the ball came around and the Queen announced that Celebfaer and Legolas were to be wed. She would wait until they were married before she would announce that Celebfaer was the first-daughter. The kingdom had to be handled one small step at a time so she would not spring that on them yet, she would wait for Legolas and Celebfaer to gain the favour of the people first.  
  
Though Legolas had already been accepted for the marriage, the people of the city cried for a challenge to be issued. So at the ball she made both Celebfaer and Legolas stand in front of her, Legolas kneeling and Celebfaer standing beside him looking very scared for Legolas.  
  
"Is it true that you are best archer among all of the Elves?" The Queen asked and Legolas nodded.  
  
"In Eryn Lasgalen, that was once called Mirkwood, I am the best archer your highness."  
  
"And you are well known for this reputation?"  
  
"I am?"  
  
"Then I propose a tournament." The Queen said. "You will compete in a tournament against all the arches in the Fairy realm and you will lose." She added and Celebfaer turned to look at her mother in surprise.  
  
"Pardon your highness, but did you say I should lose?" He asked looking up at the Queen and she nodded.  
  
"Yes. To prove that you love my daughter above everything else you must be willing to cast aside your reputation as the best archer. Arrangements will be made and the tournament will be held exactly one month from this date." She said and the room of people cheered.  
  
"Legolas it will be alright." Celebfaer said and he sighed.  
  
"How hard can it be to lose?" He asked but he looked as though he was already shamed.  
  
"Legolas you do not have to take the challenge." She said and he shook his head.  
  
"If it will make them accept me then I shall."  
  
So preparations were made for the tournament and Legolas dreaded each day as it drew nearer.  
  
"I will have to lose to Mildred melamin." He said one night as he stood by her door, bidding her a goodnight. "And the shame that I will endure because of it will kill me." He added burying his face in her shoulder and she sighed, stroking his head gently, running her fingers through his hair.  
  
"But Legolas you will forever have my love and that is the one thing that losing a tournament cannot change. I love you and no other." She said and he looked up at her.  
  
"I have been an archer since I was but 20 years old Celebfaer. And when I was 21 they entered me into my first tournament and I won. I have bettered everyone I have ever come up against Celebfaer. I have never lost." He admitted and she sighed then untangled him from her arms.  
  
"I shall see you in the morning my love." She said then she opened her door and entered, shutting it behind her.  
  
******************************  
  
Before long the tournament was almost upon them. Celebfaer had been so busy preparing for the wedding that would take place on the first full moon after the tournament finished, if Legolas was successful. She had been so busy preparing for the wedding that she had not spent much time with him. In fact it was the day before the tournament when she had a spare moment and she ran around the entire city looking for him before she tried the training yards. He was there, practicing his aim.  
  
As she approached he looked away from the target as he shot, then sighed as he heard the solid thunk of the arrow hitting the target. Frowning she turned to look at the target, only to see that the arrow he had shot so blindly had hit the target directly in the center.  
  
"Legolas!" She called and he turned in the direction of her voice, his face downcast and full of despair. She looked at him and he looked at her, readying another arrow and shoot it while he still looked at her.  
  
She could not resist, she turned to look at the target and that arrow that he had just shot had split the one he had shot seconds before.  
  
"How?" She asked because she was now close enough for him to hear her.  
  
"I told you I have never lost. The only time my aim was bad was when I was near to death." He said sadly and he pulled her closer to him then buried his head in her shoulder then she heard him begin to weep. "I cannot lose this tournament for you Celebfaer, no matter how hard I try." He said.  
  
She stroked the top of his head, starting to despair herself. "I can help you Legolas. Let me try before you despair." She said softly and he looked up at her, his face wet with tears. The sight scared her because she had never seen him like this. He never showed his emotions unless they were good and this was not something she wanted to see. Except when he had been close to death but even then he had been cold and emotionless. She kissed him softly then continued. "Have one more shot and I will see if I can help."  
  
He nodded then picked up his bow and arrow, readying an arrow. As he let it go, Celebfaer whispered some words, calling air and the arrow moved slightly to the side, but it still hit the target.  
  
"What bow do you shoot with?" She asked and he offered it to her. "This is the bow from Lothlorien. Have you tried another bow?"  
  
Legolas nodded. "I have, with the same result."  
  
"Aim for the ground straight in front of you." She said.  
  
"It is the only thing that works, but I must look like I am trying... I cannot bare the shame of shooting arrows straight into the ground."  
  
"Then aim for your opponents target. If you aim for a different target, then the shot does not count and you could very well get disqualified."  
  
"But the Queen has said that I must loose."  
  
"Do not draw back as far and your arrow will not hit the target! Legolas you have to do something because I will not wed any other by our lore and we must wed this month." She said and this time he frowned.  
  
"Why are you so eager to wed? Melamin they will not force you to wed another will they?"  
  
"Nay, Legolas." She said then she looked down at her feet then took his hand in hers, tears coming to her eyes. "You were right Legolas. I am with child." She said and he smiled broadly.  
  
"That is fantastic news melamin!" He said then he kissed her and she pushed him back.  
  
"We must get back to Eryn Lasgalen before it comes. I do not want the child born here." She said and Legolas frowned.  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"I do not know how it will be received." She said and he frowned once more.  
  
"I shall not let anyone hurt our child Celebfaer."  
  
"You may not have a choice Legolas. Just promise me that you will complete this challenge, for as long as you have your reputation with the Elves, your reputation with the Fairies should not matter. Once you wear the diamond in your left ear none will care that you lost to them in an archery tournament. As long as you rule kindly and justly." She said and he sighed.  
  
"I shall try for you Celebfaer and we will depart on our journey back to Eryn Lasgalen two days after we are wedded." He said and she smiled then hugged him.  
  
"I thank you Legolas." 


	8. Chapter Seven: The Tournament

Chapter Seven: The Tournament  
  
The day of the tournament Celebfaer woke up early to watch the sun rise. She was nervous for Legolas and she hoped that he worked out a way to complete his task, because what she had said was true. She put a hand down to her stomach now as she watched the sun rise, wondering what would become of the child. She knew that Elves and Fairies were able to have children because Mildred was proof of this, though he did not know it, but she was still nervous about the child. Which is why she wanted to be among the Elves when she had it. At least they would not frown upon it when it was born and if its birth nearly killed her, the Elves would nurse her until she was back to her original strength. If it was the case then she knew that she could not afford to have the child in the Fairy Realm, because she had too many enemies that would be willing to take advantage of her weakened state and kill the baby or even herself. As much as he said it Legolas could not protect both of them all the time.  
  
But she had a lot more things to do before the child was born and first they had to get through Legolas' challenge. So she stood staring out the window at the nearly born sun for another hour until someone knocked on her door.  
  
"Celebfaer you must come and stand beside me." The Queen said when she walked into her room and Celebfaer nodded.  
  
"Yes mother."  
  
"Celebfaer do not worry. He will accomplish the challenge. He loves you to much not to." Asura said and then she offered her arm to Celebfaer. "I remember your father when he undertook his challenge. He had to ride from one side of the world to the other, with nothing else but his horse and bring me a blue stone from the sea, a black stone from the tallest mountain and a diamond from the Dwarf lords. The day he left I feared for him, but I knew he loved me and it was that love that would return him to me with the stones. And he did one year and a half later." She said smiling at the memory of her husband as Celebfaer linked arms with her then they started to walk down to the archery fields.  
  
"What happened to him?"  
  
"Before we sealed the gate, the humans and orcs attacked us and he rode out to defend the city as is his place. He became surrounded and Sabin tried to cut a path to him, but the creatures overcame him. I was in my rooms when the final blow came and I felt it. The sorrow that came straight after it was so strong that I knew he had died. I wanted to run down to the battlefield, but I had Elysa. She was still very young and it was still my responsibility to rule and we couldn't lose both rulers in the same day. He was given a proper burial and I mourned him for many years. And I still do feel his loss." She said sadly then she smiled at Celebfaer. "But I have faith in your Elf. He will finish this challenge."  
  
"What happened to the stones he recovered for you?" Celebfaer asked.  
  
"The blue and black stones were broken in half then half of one was fused with half the other and made into a pendant. They were the gifts we exchanged on our wedding night." She said then she let go of Celebfaer then pulled out a gold chain from within her robes. The pendent on the end of the gold chain was magnificent. It was half the size of the queen's palm and had the two stones cut roughly in half then fused together. "That way he is always with me. The diamond was crafted into a ear ring and he wore that in his left ear as a symbol of his kingship." She said as she put the pendant back into her robes.  
  
By then they had made it to the archery field and Celebfaer took a breath and she and her mother walked out to sit in the royal chairs that had been brought out for the tournament.  
  
The crowd of people that was there to watch was so large that Celebfaer would have sworn that it was the entire kingdom.  
  
Asura rose then called for quiet. "Bring out the contestants." She said and they walked out as Celebfaer desperately searched the line of people that moved out from the forest. She found him, head bowed as though in shame already and she prayed that he would be able to complete this without killing himself from the shame of it. Mildred walked beside him, proud as he knew he would most probably win this tournament and Celebfaer had to force herself to sit emotionless, forcing the sneer to retreat from her lips.  
  
"The tournament will go for seven days. On the first the archers will show their skills and on the second day they will be put up against different archers to see who has the better skill. Then the unsuccessful of the two will be put into a pool with all the unsuccessful contestants and then on the third day the unsuccessful archers will compete against each other, where the winner will be put back into the competition. The sucessuful archers on the same day will play rounds and the unsuccessful ones will be eliminated." A cheer went up from the crowd that were watching. "The winner shall not only receive 100 gold pieces, but my daughter will give a kiss to the winner also." The Queen said and Celebfaer looked up, shocked that her mother would do such a thing when she was already promised to wed Legolas after the tournament.  
  
"Mother.." Celebfaer started but the Queen raised a hand, silencing her.  
  
"Let the tournament begin." She said and then she came to sit back down next to Celebfaer. "Trust me child." She said and the archers began their warm up shots.  
  
Celebfaer couldn't stand to watch, but after she heard the crowd laughing, she looked up to see Legolas shooting arrows straight into the ground in front of him, wincing every time that he did. She could not bare to see him like that.  
  
"Mother, I beg you let me go to him." She said and Asura looked at her then smiled.  
  
"Celebfaer you will see him tonight at dinner, if he is not so shamed that he will still eat with us." She said and Celebfaer looked away, not being able to bear watching him.  
  
So she closed her eyes and sought out the bundle of thoughts that was Legolas. 'Melamin just remember that I love you and no other. I am sorry that you have to do this.' She sent and his response came quickly.  
  
'I love you also melamin and if this is the way I must prove it to your kin, then so be it.'  
  
The day passed by pretty quickly, but that night Legolas did not come to eat with them. Queen Asura then forbid her from going to see him, by saying that if he was so shamed that he would not sit with them then she could not go to him. So she left the table early and she went to her room then went to sleep, dreading the next day.  
  
On the second day of the tournament, Legolas lost to every archer he was up against. But when the third day came the Queen stood from her seat and the archers put down their bows and looked towards her while the crowd fell silent eager to see what she had to say.  
  
"Legolas, come." She said and he nodded then walked over to where the Queen's royal chairs stood, still carrying his bow, the quiver full of arrows on his back.  
  
When he reached the area in front of them Celebfaer saw that he had not slept much the night before. He bowed low to the queen, kneeling with head down as he addressed her.  
  
"Your majesty." He said and she smiled.  
  
"Legolas, I pray you are well." She said and he nodded. "I issue this challenge to you. You have lost, but now I bid that you win enough to make it to the final."  
  
"But it would be impossible!" Legolas said, looking up at the Queen, shocked.  
  
"That is the challenge." She said and he nodded, then he stood up and strode back to the archery field with a new found confidence.  
  
Celebfaer frowned at her mother. "What do you play at mother?" She asked and Asura smiled in response.  
  
"We shall see if he is truly worthy of your hand." She replied and Celebfaer looked back to the archery field just as Legolas loosed an arrow that hit dead center of the target. A gasp of shock ran through the crowd and Celebfaer smiled.  
  
For the rest of the day, all of Legolas' arrows shot true to their mark, not one of them missing the center of the target. By the end of the day the crowd were all whispering about him, cheering for him when he went up to take his shot. It was at that moment that Celebfaer realized what her mother was doing. She was getting him to win the respect of the people so that when it was announced that Celebfaer was first-daughter Legolas would be accepted because of the respect that the people had for him.  
  
He won everything that day and he was the contestant that went through to play all the people that had won the day before but lost on that day. He would play them the next day and he bet them all as well. On the fifth day he played the losers from the day before and on the sixth day he finally went through to play the best archers in the realm. He did not play Mildred though and in the second last game of the day, Mildred won, which meant that he would proceed to play the winner of the last game of the day on the seventh and final day of the tournament. The last game of the sixth day was Legolas against Fiash. Not surprisingly Legolas won and he was through to the next day where he would face Mildred.  
  
Only then did Celebfaer see the real purpose of the tournament and she did not like it.  
  
So the next day came and Celebfaer rose early and was out at the field before her mother and the crowd. She walked around, looking at the distance of the targets from the shooting spot examining the field and praying that Legolas would win.  
  
But when Legolas came out onto the field he looked angry at something and Celebfaer did not know what, so she sought for his mind. 'Legolas what ails you?'  
  
'Nothing melamin.' He replied. Then the Queen arrived signaling that the day would commence.  
  
And the result was not what Celebfaer had expected. Instead of out shooting Mildred, Legolas aimed away from the target and his arrow always hit the outside of the target, or just missed the target, while Mildred's arrows hit dead center every time.  
  
At the end of the day it was clear that Mildred would win and they were called up to take their last shots. Mildred went first and hit the center once more. The crowd cheered and she saw Mildred say something to Legolas, so quickly he drew an arrow and had loosed it on the target before anyone could blink and it hit the target dead center, splitting Mildred's arrow into three pieces before the split arrow fell out of the target. The cheer for Legolas was louder than that which had occurred for Mildred and Legolas looked back at Mildred who laughed in response.  
  
Then the Queen called the two of them to approach her.  
  
"Mildred as the winner of the tournament I give you your gold." She said and a servant brought the bag of gold forward and gave them to Mildred.  
  
He took them but his glace flickered towards Celebfaer as he waited patiently.  
  
"And as promised, my daughter shall give you a kiss." The queen said and Celebfaer looked at her then stood up, not wanting to do it but she knew that she must.  
  
She walked down to where he stood then went to kiss him lightly on the cheek, but he pulled her towards him and kissed her lightly on the mouth. He kissed her as she normally only allowed Legolas to kiss her, and she just closed her eyes and waited for him to release her.  
  
When he finally did, he looked at her, shook his head then walked away as the crowd cheered.  
  
But she would not look at Legolas then. How could she when he had just witnessed another male kiss her in the way only he was allowed? But the Queen spoke and Celebfaer did not even acknowledge her, she just looked blankly at the ground in front of her.  
  
"Legolas has completed his challenge. To loose to his opponent and witness another take that which is rightfully his. He is accepted and will wed my daughter in three days time at the light of the full moon." She said and Celebfaer turned to look at her mother, who merely nodded then walked from the field.  
  
Then Celebfaer turned to look at Legolas.  
  
He smiled at her. "I did it melamin." He said then he came forward and hugged her.  
  
"Legolas Mildred had no right to.." She started but he shook his head, putting a finger to her lips.  
  
"It was part of the conditions of the challenge. I lost my temper at the end there, but the Queen acknowledged that I had lost and though I was shamed to watch another handle you in such a way, I know that I still won. Where you are concerned I will always beat Mildred." He said then he leant down and kissed her.  
  
She enjoyed that kiss a lot more than she had enjoyed Mildred's.  
  
Afterwards Legolas hugged her, putting one hand on her stomach. "In five days we will leave for Eryn Lasgalen and it will be known there that you are with child. My father will give us a welcome worthy of a king." He said and she smiled then kissed him once more.  
  
"And we shall be bonded in the eyes of the fairies also." She replied, then hand in hand they left the field. 


	9. Chapter Eight: To Be Bonded As A Fairy

A/N: Hi guys, sorry it took so long to update, but uni has been so busy that I haven't had a chance to write! Oh well I hope this makes up for it, it's a long chapter (9 pages in a word document) and I hope it lives up to the expectation.  
  
Also one of you asked how to pronounce Celebfaer, it can be pronounced as either Kel-eb-fair or Sell-eb-fair, whichever you find better or easier to pronounce.. Although Kel-eb-fair is the Elvish way of pronouncing it, I think! Anyway I hope you like the chapter.  
  
Enjoy!  
  
Louise Blue.  
  
Chapter Eight: To Be Bonded As A Fairy  
  
The three days before the wedding flew past and Celebfaer rarely had a chance to see Legolas, as he was busy getting fitted for new clothes that he could wear to the wedding and Sabin was guarding him, making sure she could not see him. It was part of the tradition. Once the challenge had been completed the bride and groom were banned from seeing each other until the next full moon. But to Celebfaer it was also torture.  
  
The City had celebrated the results of the tournament for two whole nights, but as with tradition on the night before the wedding the city was silent. Celebfaer could not sleep so she stayed up most of the night watching the stars and the moon, wondering what would become of her and Legolas and any children that they might have.  
  
She had been moved to another room, smaller with less of a view of the gardens and stars, but she was still able to see some of the night sky. Her rooms were going to be cleansed because she could not bring her husband into rooms that she had been sleeping in. It needed to be blessed and aired out. And the servants were supposed to ready it and prepare it for what was to take place there the next night. Though what that meant Celebfaer had never been told. All she knew was that her mother had selected items to be placed in the room and Celebfaer, nor Legolas were allowed to see them before they were wedded.  
  
So the next day when the sun started to rise, the servants came into the room, surprised to see her up.  
  
"Your highness." They said bowing and Celebfaer allowed them to take her to the bathing chamber. As the servants set about their job of cleaning her hair and making sure she was clean in general, they chatted happily to each other, though Celebfaer did not say much. They took her silence to be nerves and started telling her things she ought to do.  
  
"Princess, do not be frightened. The marriage bed is not something to be feared and he looks as though he would be gentle." The eldest one, Rosa said. She had been happily married since Celebfaer could remember and she smiled now as she thought about her husband. Rosa had also been allocated as Celebfaer's servant once she had come back to the realm and now that she had come back again with Legolas, Rosa was the head of Celebfaer's servants.  
  
"It is improper it is." Said another of the maids. "Women should not have to endure such torture. It ruins their pureness." The maid's name was Mia and she had never been married and had happily announced that she did not agree with such goings on.  
  
"Sush. She is the princess of our land and therefore it is her place to produce many children. Otherwise we would not get a succession. And so far the Lady Elysa has been no good in producing any children and she's been wedded for nearly two millennia." Dana, another of the maids said. Dana was slightly older than Mia and Celebfaer tried to stifle her laugh at what her maid had just said. Dana was actually younger than Elysa, though she herself was married and had already borne two children.  
  
"Some are beginning to think that Lady Elysa, bless her soul, may not be capable of having children at all. And thank the Valar for that, if there were more like her.. Could you imagine it?" Julia, the youngest of the maids that tended Celebfaer, said.  
  
The Queen had made sure that all the servants that attended Celebfaer, except Rosa, were either not favored or openly showed their dislike for Elysa, among the other servants only of course. It was the Queen's way of assuring that Celebfaer would not be spied on for Elysa. But it was not too much of a guarantee because anyone could pretend to hate someone, though Celebfaer found it amusing to listen to. When the maids had first started bickering about her sister they had thought Celebfaer was not listening. They had been caught out and Celebfaer had told them that if they were to serve her they were to speak freely around her. She did not have many friends and she enjoyed listening to her maid's gossip. They comforted her and it was a good way to work out things that happened when Celebfaer had not been at the realm or any feuds that she could avoid.  
  
"Why do they say that? Could it not be my brother-in-law that is incapable?" Celebfaer asked and the servants laughed at her question.  
  
"My Lady, everyone knows that Lord Sabin has fathered a child. Though both mother and child died within hours of each other after the birth. It happened before Lady Elysa was born and a few years after you disappeared. They say it was she that seduced him and he being so wrapped up in his grief could not resist. Of course it was denied when your dear sister, Lady Elysa was born."  
  
"You should not believe the rumors Elsie." Rosa said and the maids stopped chatting and continued about their work in silence. Rosa clearly was in charge and she allowed gossip to a certain degree, but she knew when to stop it. The servants could be killed for treason if they weren't careful, although Celebfaer would never let one of her servants be killed, but Rosa liked to be safe, not sorry.  
  
"I am not infertile." Celebfaer said softly after a brief silence, thinking of the baby that was even now growing inside her, and the old maid laughed.  
  
"My Lady, you shall not know until you are with child, may we be blessed for that to happen, although it would be a miracle. A union such as yours my Lady has never conceived a child." Rosa replied.  
  
Celebfaer looked at the other servants wearily before she decided better against saying anything. But Rosa was sharper than most servants and she sensed Celebfaer's hesitation. So she sent the other four off to get the dress because she was capable for finishing. Rosa was not only sharp, but she was also one of the most loyal servants in the palace. She did not believe the rumours and not a single thing happened in the City that she did not know about and everything she knew was the truth.  
  
When they were all gone and their laughter could no longer be heard in the corridor outside the bathing chamber, Rosa looked at Celebfaer, not pausing in her work. "My Lady?" She asked, curiously. She had a knack for knowing when Celebfaer wanted to talk in private.  
  
"Legolas and I were wedded by Elvish lore a whole year ago now." Celebfaer said. "I am no stranger to the marriage bed." She said bluntly and Rosa nodded, Celebfaer guessed she had suspected as much. Besides, Rosa was the one that did her laundry, so she would have known that Celebfaer was going to have a child.  
  
"My Lady, are you with child?" Rosa asked now, as Celebfaer had suspected she would. Rosa was not stupid and Celebfaer's monthly courses had not come for over a month and a half.  
  
Celebfaer turned to look at the servant. "Yes Rosa, I am."  
  
"Then it is true."  
  
"What?"  
  
"They say that the blood of the royal line prevents any of the children born after the first from having children, unless the first-born is killed, my Lady. Though I did not believe that such a union would be able to create a child..." Rosa started, but Celebfaer cut her sentence short.  
  
"There is one among us that is proof of a union between Elves and Fairies." Celebfaer said and Rosa looked around putting a finger to her lips.  
  
"Your highness that is never spoken about. His mother did not want him to know and I respected her wishes." Rosa said, bowing her head in respect for the dead. "It is best for most to believe that such a union cannot happen. Although if it is to happen to the first-daughter then none will think it odd. They will just think it is good fortune for we have not had any newborns in the realm for over a millennia." Rosa said and Celebfaer nodded to her.  
  
"You are smarter than you make out Rosa. Tell me would you consider leaving the realm?"  
  
Rosa smiled. "I serve my Queen, though I have dreamed of leaving the realm and seeing the world outside once more before I die." She said and Celebfaer nodded, just as the other servants came back, chatting loudly about how nice the dress was and whatever else. They were talking so loudly that Celebfaer was sure that the whole kingdom would have heard them and Rosa scoulded them when they arrived. Then with a smile they helped Celebfaer out of the bath and began work.  
  
Her hair they put up, leaving half of it down, but through her hair they weaved small moonstones so that when the moonlight hit them they would sparkle. At her request they weaved some carnelians through it as well so that her hair was littered with white and orange stones. The half of her hair that was up had so many twists and turns and pins in it to hold it up that she thought she would never get it out. But she did not protest, as they knew what they were doing and she did not.  
  
So quite a few hours later Celebfaer was standing dressed in a white fairy- styled wedding dress, revealing a little more than she was used to at the top and leaving her legs bare from mid thigh downwards. When she allowed herself to look in the mirror she went profusely red. She had never had showed so much skin before.  
  
Rosa laughed when she saw her reaction. "My Lady you are redder than the deepest rose. You have showed much more skin than this in your younger years. In fact your mother used to have to chase you with a cloak. Those friends of yours liked to dress you very inappropriately and many of the men would not be able to concentrate when you walked by. Especially those that were wedded."  
  
"I did no such thing!" Celebfaer said turning an even brighter shade of red, because she could not remember ever doing this. Her maids laughed to see her. "Thank the Valar that it will be night." She added softly, as their laughter died down, then she turned to face Rosa but another voice spoke before she could.  
  
"Let me see her!" He called and the servants hurried to stand in front of her, using their wings to lift themselves off the ground so that she could be completely hidden, while Rosa grabbed hold of Celebfaer by the arms so that she would not fly to him.  
  
"LEGOLAS!" Sabin called then and Celebfaer tried to call out but Rosa put her hand over her mouth.  
  
"You must not my Lady." Rosa whispered.  
  
"Celebfaer, we cannot do this! These clothes and the ceremony are indecent!" Legolas called and she bit her lip. She desperately wanted to call out to him, but knew she could not. Rosa nodded, then she let go of Celebfaer, knowing she wouldn't do anything she shouldn't do and then she flew up above the rest of the servants and flew down in front of them.  
  
"Where is my wife?" Legolas asked when the servant landed in front of him. He was enraged. Sabin had spent most of the past three days preparing Legolas for the wedding and most of the traditions he had balked at, but Sabin had just told him that she had endured an Elvish wedding, so he must endure a Fairy wedding. He knew it was true and he knew that Celebfaer had probably prepared Sabin for his arguments, but what Sabin had just told him several minutes before had made Legolas' temper flare even more. It was unacceptable and he would not do it. He could not do it and then return to Eryn Lasgalen. He would be shamed more than he was losing the archery tournament.  
  
"Legolas. She is not your wife yet!" Sabin said through gritted teeth, praying that the Elven prince remembered his place and that he was not in his own castle anymore.  
  
"We are wedded by Elvish lore Sabin and it is not right to keep me from my wife, and any who try are given the penalty of death. It is bad enough that you cut off the bond that I share with her for the past three days, but you will let me see her." He said to Sabin then he turned to look at the maid in front of him. "Now if you would be so kind to call your servants off and show me my wife."  
  
"Lord Sabin, you failed. You were supposed to prevent this from happening." The maid replied, completely ignoring Legolas, which made him angrier. She had a command in her tone that suggested that even though she was merely a maid, she had a lot more command than Sabin did.  
  
"Rosa, he is not as heavily guarded as Celebfaer. Not many of the men wish to attend him as of late because he has had a short temper." Sabin replied, glaring at Legolas, who glared back.  
  
"Do not talk about me when I am standing here! Will you let me see my wife?" Legolas asked Rosa and Sabin shook his head but Rosa just looked at him for a few seconds before she spoke.  
  
"Master Greenleaf, you have already broken tradition by being in the room, please do not break it further." Rosa said, her brown eyes boring into his and he felt as though he was back in Lothlorien, being stared down by the Lady of the Wood.  
  
"And Legolas, remember for you she endured an Elvish wedding, it is only fair that you shall do the same." Sabin said softly, hoping this would calm him down and Legolas sighed.  
  
He had weighed the risks and decided that it was not worth starting a feud to get past the wall of four fairies that was between him and his wife. "Melamin I do this only because it is what you want." Legolas said in Sindrian, the tongue of the woodland elves. "Though I think some of the traditions are indecent and very outrageous. You endured, so I shall endure." He added and Celebfaer smiled, behind her wall of servants, though none saw it. She knew that none there, save maybe Sabin would have understood this. "I am sorry Rosa for disturbing the peace." Legolas said switching back to Common Speech.  
  
"So you should be." Elsie said from directly in front of Celebfaer and Mia grunted.  
  
"Yes. It is enough that you are taking my Lady's pureness from her and now this. The Queen should rethink her decision!" Mia added, agreeing and Celebfaer rolled her eyes.  
  
Legolas looked up at the fairy that had spoken, frowning at her and Sabin grabbed his shoulder, trying to prevent the Elf from saying something that was known to a select few, but never spoken of.  
  
"I am already wedded to her." Was all Legolas said and Mia's mouth dropped open in shock, as did the rest of the servants and Sabin sighed, finally realizing that it had gone too far, and seeing as Legolas insisted on being like a child, he would get treated like one, so Sabin picked Legolas up as he flapped his wings, lifting Legolas up off the ground and flying off.  
  
"Rosa I am sorry." Sabin called back as Legolas tried to resist him, but Sabin refused to let go. He had taken it too far, so Sabin would treat him with the same way any that acted like that was treated, like a child, not an equal.  
  
"Stubborn Elf." Rosa said once they were out of sight and the servants moved out of the way so that Rosa could see Celebfaer. "It will be the doom of the kingdom." Rosa told Celebfaer and Celebfaer bowed her head.  
  
"He is determined. It is hard to stop him once his heart is set." Celebfaer said, smiling as she remembered. Then she smoothed her face over so it was calm once more. "He also forgets that there were many things I endured for the Elvish wedding, though I too objected, I did not break tradition." Celebfaer said, touching the ring on her left hand as she spoke. "Do not worry Rosa, this will not go unpunished." Celebfaer added and Rosa laughed.  
  
"Come, we must present you to your mother so that she can eat supper with you." Rosa said and Celebfaer nodded.  
  
"My Lady, is it true what he said?" Mia asked as they were walking.  
  
"Nay. It is a sin to come to the marriage bed impure." Celebfaer said so innocently that they all believed her. All except Rosa, who just nodded, then smiled at Celebfaer. But seeing as Celebfaer had gone to the marriage bed pure when she and Legolas had wedded in Eryn Lasgalen she was technically not lying.  
  
At the supper with her mother, Celebfaer was given her crown. Her mother had taken it from Elysa, though Elysa had not protested, as she had promised when she had linked with the council a month earlier. The small gold crown was in fact Celebfaer's anyway. The designs had been drawn up for it at her birth and when she had turned 500 years old she had been presented with it. Though she had not been allowed to wear it until she was wedded. Her servants had taken the small silver crown that she had worn every day for the past year off her head when they had bathed her. It was the crown that symbolized that she was to be Queen of Eryn Lasgalen one day, and she had received it when she had wedded Legolas. But they had removed it and now Celebfaer's mother placed the gold crown on her head.  
  
"Thank you mother." Celebfaer said and the Queen smiled.  
  
"So as soon as you are seen tonight it will be known that you are the rightful first-daughter. And those that do not see the crown shall know from the ceremony." Asura said and Celebfaer nodded. "Now my daughter, we wait."  
  
********************************  
  
Sure enough it did not take long and Celebfaer and her mother feasted on fruit and all sorts of sweets and drank wine while they waited for the sun to go down.  
  
A bell chimed when the halls were dark and Celebfaer began to feel nervous. She hoped that Sabin had managed to keep Legolas under control. Celebfaer's mother rose and invited Celebfaer to do the same.  
  
"Come, we walk."  
  
So they walked from the castle out into the woods until they came upon a clearing. There was a small hill in the clearing and servants had decorated the hill with beautiful flower arrangements and the road leading from the woods to the top of the hill, where Ryan, Annook and Jenya were sitting, was alight with torches. Ryan and Annook had a chair between them, the chair that the Queen would take eventually. Jenya was sitting next to Ryan and there was another empty seat next to Annook. When any of the heirs were to be wedded, the man, or woman that wanted to wed them was to approach last so Legolas and Sabin were probably not there yet. The moon was bright enough for them to see their way, but the torches were supposed to represent the fire spirit, which Celebfaer could call most easily, so fire dominated the decorations.  
  
The entire city was standing, waiting for their arrival and Celebfaer shivered, knowing that soon all their eyes would be on her.  
  
"Do not be afraid daughter. This was meant to be." Asura said, then she kissed Celebfaer on the top of the head. "And he is worthy of you, otherwise I would not have allowed this day to come."  
  
"Yes mother." Celebfaer said then she took a deep breath.  
  
"Mia." The Queen said and Mia looked up at her.  
  
"Yes, your highness?"  
  
"Go find and tell Sabin that we are ready to proceed."  
  
Mia rushed off to do that and the queen beckoned Elsie and told her to go up the hill and tell Annook,, Ryan and Jenya that they were ready to begin, while they stood on the edge of the wood, waiting for the signal.  
  
All of a sudden there was silence and Ryan stood up and addressed the kingdom, his voice carrying easily down the hill to the wood where they stood. "The Queen and her daughter approach." He said then he sat back down.  
  
The Queen nodded to Celebfaer then took a step forward and Celebfaer came one step behind her mother, her servants went in front, throwing flower petals on the ground so that the Queen and her daughter could walk over them.  
  
When they made it to the top of the hill Annook stood up from her seat. "Who presents this fairy?"  
  
"I do." The Queen said.  
  
"Do you give your blessing to the union that will soon take place?"  
  
"I do."  
  
"The Queen has spoken." Annook said, then she turned to Celebfaer. "Rydia." Annook continued using Celebfaer's fairy name and she looked at her, her chin raised high. Because she was now the first-daughter she did not have to bow to any, but her mother. "Do you wish for this union to take place?"  
  
"With my whole heart." She said and Annook nodded.  
  
"So be it." She said then she sat down in her chair, as the Queen walked up the hill until she was in front of the chair that had been reserved for her.  
  
When she reached her chair she turned around to face the people of the realm.  
  
"You are all here to witness the wedding of the first-daughter. Let it be said than none will contest her right to the throne and that he husband will be followed as though he were one of our own." The Queen said and then she looked down to Celebfaer. "Let he who wishes to take my daughter's hand come forward." She said and then she sat down.  
  
Celebfaer turned around and waited, but she could not see anyone down at the edge of the wood. They waited maybe ten minutes until Legolas and Sabin appeared and began to walk up the hill to where Celebfaer stood.  
  
Legolas was wearing a tunic with fairy embroidery on it, but he was not wearing the shorts that Sabin was wearing. Instead Legolas was wearing a pair of leggings that also had fairy embroidery. But Celebfaer almost did not recognize him because someone had cut his hair. It was now as short as Sabin's and Celebfaer gasped, loudly. Now she understood why he had been so angry. His hair was his pride and if he were to go back to Eryn Lasgalen with hair that short he would be frowned upon. Celebfaer turned briefly to look at her mother, but her mother's face was expressionless. So she turned back to watch Legolas approach her and despite what they had done to his hair he was smiling at her the same way he had smiled at her on the day they had been wedded by Elvish lore. Then as the moonlight hit him she noticed a something sparkle in his left ear and she gasped once more though this time it was not as audible as the first. That sparkle could only mean one thing and as he came closer she realized that it was in fact a diamond stud in his left ear. A symbol of a King, or future King of the Fairies.  
  
Sabin and Legolas stopped a few meters away from when she was standing and both kneeled before the Queen, neither looking at her.  
  
Annook stood up then and addressed them. "Who comes before the Queen?"  
  
"I am called Sabin, husband to Elysa, the second-daughter to the Queen Asura, and I bring Legolas Greenleaf of the Woodland Realm who wishes to wed Rydia, first-daughter of the Queen Asura." Sabin said lifting his head to look at Annook.  
  
"Do you speak for he who wishes to wed the first-daughter?"  
  
"I do." Sabin said and the Queen stood up.  
  
"Do you give your blessing for this union?" The Queen asked Sabin as Annook sat down.  
  
"I do."  
  
The Queen then turned to Legolas. "Legolas Greenleaf of the Woodland Realm you have been tested and found worthy for the first-daughter. Do you wish for this union to take place?"  
  
"With all my heart." Legolas said and Celebfaer smiled. She did not think he would have said the same thing that she did. 'I do' was all that was required but the Queen was obviously impressed that he had said the same thing that Celebfaer herself had said, the smile on the Queen's face said more than words ever would.  
  
"So be it." The Queen said and Sabin and Legolas stood up as the Queen walked towards where Celebfaer stood as Jenya stood up this time.  
  
"Those that speak for these two people who wish to be joined, do they come into this union with a pure heart?" Jenya asked and Celebfaer felt her heart stop.  
  
To lie about such a question was unforgivable and Celebfaer knew that the only acceptable answer to this question was yes.  
  
"Rydia has been cleansed and she comes into this union with a pure heart." The Queen said and Celebfaer's heart began to pound again. That had been the reason for the very long bath that morning.  
  
"Legolas has been cleansed and he comes into this union with a pure heart." Sabin said and Jenya nodded.  
  
"Do any wish to speak against this union?" Jenya asked and the silence that followed lasted a few heartbeats, but to Celebfaer it seemed as though it lasted eternity.  
  
When it was clear no one would object to the wedding, Jenya nodded again and the Queen took Celebfaer's hand as Legolas and Sabin came to stand beside them. Once there, Sabin took Legolas' hand.  
  
"Now, I give Rydia's life into your hands." Asura said and she and Sabin pressed her and Legolas' hands together, but once they had found each other's hands they did not need to be guided. Legolas clasped her hand and she grasped his just as tightly.  
  
The Queen nodded then she took Sabin's hand and they took a few steps up the hill and stood above Celebfaer and Legolas.  
  
"I consent to this union." The Queen said and Rosa walked forward with the basket of rose petals and the queen took a handful of the rose petals and threw them over Legolas and Celebfaer, then she turned and sat down in her seat once more.  
  
Ryan stood up after she was seated. "The Queen has consented." He said approaching the basket of rose petals and picking up a handful he threw them over Legolas and Celebfaer. "And so have I."  
  
Annook came next and then Jenya, before Sabin was allowed to do the same and then he went to sit in the empty chair beside Annook.  
  
When Sabin was seated the Queen stood up again. "This union has been consented and now it shall be made." She added and she closed her eyes and Celebfaer did too.  
  
'Celebfaer do you give yourself completely and wholly to this Elf?' The Queen asked her in her mind and she nodded.  
  
'I do.'  
  
Then she heard the Queen ask the same for Legolas, but she did not hear his answer, because they were not yet bonded. All went quiet then and Celebfaer gave herself completely to her mother's mind and she felt her mother's mind twisting and melding Celebfaer's mind to Legolas'. It was a weird sensation, but it did not last terribly long and when she was finished the Queen smiled and Celebfaer could once again feel Legolas inside her head, although this time it was more intense than it had ever been. It was almost as though she were him and he was her, she could not exactly tell where her thoughts ended and his began. It was the strangest thing she had ever felt.  
  
'Legolas you have her soul. Celebfaer you have his soul. You have now been bonded and this union is completed.' The Queen sent and then she withdrew from their minds.  
  
"It is done." She announced and a cheer rose up from the people of the city.  
  
But the ceremony was not completely over yet. There was still one thing to do.  
  
Rosa stepped forward again and this time the basket she was carrying had a gold crown in it. The crown was the same size and design as that which now sat on Celebfaer's head.  
  
"By way of marriage to the first-daughter Legolas Greenleaf of the Woodland Realm has earned the right to be heir. He will rule along side my daughter when I am gone." The Queen said lifting the crown out of the basket and Legolas bowed so that she could place the crown on top of his head. Then she kissed him on the top of the head as she had kissed Celebfaer before. "Welcome son." The Queen said so softly that Celebfaer barely heard her.  
  
Then it was over. And Celebfaer and Legolas were instructed to lead the way back to the banquet room in the castle where the celebration would continue. The Queen and her advisors, with Sabin would follow and then the rest of the city.  
  
As Celebfaer and Legolas disappeared through the wood, leaving everyone to follow behind them, Celebfaer put her hand up to his hair and ran her hand over it, her hands coming to rest on the diamond stud in his left ear lobe.  
  
"I am sorry Legolas. I did not know.." She said, looking away in shame, but he sighed then cupped her face in his hands.  
  
"It is alright. It will grow back. I can get used to the diamond." He said with a smile and then he kissed her quickly. "I did not get a chance to tell you how beautiful you look tonight. Fairies certainly know how to dress a woman for her wedding night." He said with a smile and she laughed, then she kissed him quickly and they continued walking back towards the city, hand in hand and neither could stop smiling.  
  
The feast went on well into the night and it was not until the sun came up that Asura allowed them to retire to Celebfaer's rooms.  
  
When the got there the bed had been pulled out to the middle of the room and red silk curtains surrounded it. A drape had been put up over the window to stop any sunlight from coming in and in a small pile on the floor in the corner of the room were the gifts that her mother had chosen. Burning scented candles littered the floor where there weren't any gifts and each candle had been lit just before they had come into the room so the fresh scent of jasmine filled the air.  
  
The gifts they had been given were small things like enough food for the rest of the day, mainly consisting of fruits, and cheeses and all sorts of delicacies. There was a pitcher full of wine and two beautiful gold wine goblets with the most delicate embroideries Celebfaer had ever seen on them. Celebfaer had also been given more dresses and Legolas had been given more tunics and leggings. But the unexpected gift was two bows that had an intricate design carved into them as well as matching arrows in quivers. There were also two bone knives with the same pattern as the bows carved into their handles.  
  
Legolas smiled when he saw the weapons and he instantly went over to where they were and picked them up, testing them and Celebfaer smiled.  
  
"Melamin this is amazing." He said as he picked up the knife. "It is so light." He added awe in his eyes and his voice.  
  
But Celebfaer did not care for the weapons she walked over to the bed and opened the curtains, touching the silk bed spread before she sat on it and turned to look at Legolas. "Come." She said to him and he laughed, but he did not linger.  
  
A/N: Hope you all liked that and please don't kill me about the hair! It will grow back! 


	10. Chapter Nine: Leavetakings

A/N: My goodness, it's amazing what a few exams does for your inspiration. It seems as though the closer I get to an exam the more ideas I get... Gotta love that procastination! I hate exams! Oh well, its good for you guys because I get inspired. Bad for me because I may fail... Nah. It'll be good. Anyway just in case anyone is interested I've written chapter ten and eleven too and it is quite possible that they will be posted in the next few days or so, if not today. Chapter eleven is kind of a weird chapter, but anyway it will be up soon I hope.. Anyway I hope you enjoy this one.  
  
By the way, I should have answered this a while ago sokochan fairies walk around like normal people and elves and stuff.. Although they walk a lot lighter than most people. They only fly when they are in a hurry or when they need to. Hope that answers it.  
  
Cheers,  
  
Louise Blue.  
  
Chapter Nine: Leavetakings  
  
Three days after their fairy wedding, Legolas and Celebfaer began to prepare to leave the city. They had woken up quite late compared with what they had been like before they were wedded. In fact the suns rays shining into the room had woken them up.  
  
The previous day they had finally emerged from their room, both of them glowing and any who saw them walking together had smiled at them knowingly, which of course had caused Celebfaer's cheeks to turn red and Legolas to laugh at her modesty. Although every time Elysa passed them in the halls she had sneered or muttered something under her breath about useless 'Elves'. Although that night when they had been at dinner, the Queen had commented on the fact that they had spent more than a whole day in Celebfaer's rooms.  
  
"Could it be true what they say about Elvish stamina?" The Queen had asked and this time it was Legolas who had blushed so profusely that the tips of his ears had turned red too. Something that would have been hidden if only his hair was its original length, but because it was now short, Celebfaer was able to laugh at him this time for his modesty.  
  
Celebfaer was sitting at the dresser in the room and she smiled now as she remembered Elysa's disgusted look as she had left the dinner table in protest. But Legolas saw her smile from where he was lying on the bed, watching her intently as he often did these days.  
  
"Melamin something amuses you?" He asked, smiling at her too.  
  
"I was just thinking on last night. Elysa was not to impressed." She replied as she finished putting her hair up.  
  
"She was just jealous." Legolas said, getting up and walking over to where she was sitting in front of the mirror. Once there he wrapped his arms around her from behind, resting his head on her shoulder as he looked at her in the mirror. "She does not have what we have, melamin." He said looking into her eyes through the mirror and Celebfaer smiled at him.  
  
"Sabin tried to give it to her..." She started but Legolas cut her off.  
  
"But she rejected him before he could try. She was not content with him." Legolas added, but they both knew why that was without having to say it.  
  
"We headed that way once." She replied turning from the mirror to look at him and not his reflection.  
  
"It is fortunate for me that Haldir is a wise elf and that Mildred realized he was fighting a battle he could not win." Legolas replied and she stood up as he wrapped his arms around her waist. "Melamin you complete me." He said softly as he leaned down and kissed her.  
  
"And you complete me. If you died I would not be able to live." She said. "That is why I tried so hard to save you from sorrow."  
  
"I am glad that you did." He replied with a smile but before Celebfaer could say anything in response, a knock came at the door.  
  
"Who comes?" Celebfaer called, as Legolas unwrapped himself from her and walked over to the wardrobe to finish dressing.  
  
"Celebfaer are you awake?" The Queen's voice called through softly and Celebfaer threw a desperate look to Legolas, who had just finished pulling on his tunic. He did not need to brush his hair because it was now so short, but he still looked as though he had just gotten out of bed, which of course he had.  
  
"Yes mother, just a moment and I will see you." Celebfaer called, then she ran lightly over to where Legolas was standing and she smoothed his clothes out, before she went to the door and opened it.  
  
There was a tray outside the door that had what Celebfaer assumed would have been breakfast, but it was so late in the day that the food had gone cold. The Queen stood behind the tray and she threw Celebfaer a questioning look when she answered the door.  
  
"I am sorry to disturb you daughter, but I wish to have a word. We can walk through the gardens if here is inappropriate." Her mother said and Celebfaer shook her head then opened the door further.  
  
"Come in mother."  
  
Thankfully, Legolas had done a quick clean up of the room, throwing clothes into the laundry basket and drawing the curtains on the bed. So, when Celebfaer turned around and saw what he had done she nodded approvingly to him.  
  
"Legolas. I do hope I have not interrupted." The Queen said with a smile and Legolas shook his head.  
  
"To what do we owe the pleasure, your highness?" Legolas asked and Asura laughed, looking they elf up and down before she spoke.  
  
"Always charming." She said then she turned to Celebfaer. "I can see how he won your heart."  
  
"Flattery is not his only quality mother."  
  
"Indeed." The Queen said taking in the room. "But what I wanted to talk to you about Celebfaer was the issue of your departure. Rosa tells me that you have requested for her to ask the kitchen for provisions for a two-month journey. You intend to travel back to Eryn Lasgalen then? So soon?"  
  
"Legolas needs to return to his father. The Elves are beginning to travel to Valinor and Legolas needs to return before his father leaves." Celebfaer told her mother and Legolas came to stand beside her, taking her hand and entwining his fingers through hers. If the Queen noticed she did not comment. Since their wedding they had never been seen out of arms reach of each other, as was expected and most newly wed fairies liked to be in constant contact with their partner. It was part of the bond, so most expected the sort of behavior Celebfaer and Legolas were exhibiting.  
  
"The truth Celebfaer will not hurt you." The Queen said now, looking straight at Celebfaer and she blinked, a little shocked at being caught out in her half-truth. Her mother always had a gift of being able to tell when she was lying, even when she had been a child.  
  
"Mother we have been away from Eryn Lasgalen for over a year. I am sure that Thranduil wishes to see his son." Celebfaer said, trying to act as though it was the real reason but the Queen sighed then walked over to the window, pulling the drape down altogether, as she looked out down to the city where many fairies were running about, going about their daily lives.  
  
"I did not become Queen by being foolish daughter. Now either you tell me the truth about why you wish to leave or I will seal the gateway and prevent you."  
  
"You can try mother, but I will find a way to leave. I must leave now, you must understand that, but when I can, I will return."  
  
"Why is it so important for you to leave, when you could establish your kingdom here like you should be doing? I am tired Celebfaer and I am ready for a rest." The Queen said and at the moment Celebfaer looked at her and she realized that her mother was in fact old. It wasn't obvious in the way that she looked, but her eyes showed age well beyond what the body suggested.  
  
"Mother I am to have a child." Celebfaer said, not looking at her mother, because she did not know how she would react and the Queen looked at her in surprise.  
  
"So soon after your wedding? Surely you cannot know for certain yet." She said and then she realized what it meant that Celebfaer was so sure. "It was conceived before the wedding?" Her mother asked and Celebfaer nodded.  
  
"We are wedded by Elvish lore. It is not such a sin." Legolas said holding his head high, he would defend anything that Celebfaer's mother threw at them and it made her happy to know that he supported her and she was not alone. The Queen turned to look at Legolas, her face revealing nothing of her thoughts.  
  
"I did not say it was." She replied then she turned to look at Celebfaer again. "You know that the last fairy woman that conceived a child to an elf died in childbirth?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Yet you still want to leave? Why?"  
  
"In Eryn Lasgalen if the child is born with or without wings it will be accepted by the Elves and if I am weakened by the birth then none will try to take advantage of my weakness." Celebfaer said, but she did not look at her mother and she squeezed Legolas' hand, glad that he was there.  
  
"The Elves do not know the correct ways of healing a fairy. Particularly after childbirth. Celebfaer, a fairy is very different to an elf..." The Queen started and Celebfaer nodded, she had already prepared for this argument.  
  
"That is why I will ask you that you allow me to take Rosa with me. She was there at Mildred's birth, so she can help if something goes wrong." Celebfaer said and Asura sighed.  
  
"Rosa is old."  
  
"Yet her body is still young. She wishes to travel, she told me herself and I have already discussed asked her if she would come. She has made her own decision to come with us. She could teach the Elves and they could teach her, mother you must let her come."  
  
The Queen considered what Celebfaer had just said for a few seconds before she replied. "I will allow you to take her. I cannot risk your death a second time."  
  
"We shall depart at sundown today." Legolas said suddenly and Celebfaer looked up at him then nodded. "I shall go and tell Rosa." He added, leaving her with her mother.  
  
"I am scared for you daughter."  
  
"I am scared also mother, but if Rosa is there, she may help the elvish healers somehow."  
  
"A Fairy is different to an Elf, Celebfaer. You forget that because you are so much like an Elf yourself..." The Queen said, trailing off and shaking her head before she looked at Celebfaer again. "Rosa may believe she is young, but her mind is old. She was at Mildred's birth, she was to be his nurse... During the labor a fairy must link her mind with another present so that she may draw strength from them. Because the body is weakened, the mind is also so it is necessary for us to link with a woman that is of similar strength. They do not know why but when Mildred was born it was as though two souls were brought into the world at once. Mildred's mother had linked with Rosa, though Rosa was only just recently of age. But his mind was so strong that once he was born, he burnt out all of his mother's strength and because they were linked, much of Rosa's strength left her too. It has caused Rosa to appear a lot older than she is, speeding up the aging process."  
  
"Then I shall link with Legolas. If we are to grow old and diminish we will grow old together. He will not allow me to do it alone or endanger another."  
  
"Men are not allowed in the birthing chamber."  
  
"Then he will stand outside the door and I will link with him. Mother nothing will stop me from having this child and I will live." Celebfaer said and her mother nodded, a smile forming on her face.  
  
"You have a strong mind daughter. Your teachers always told me so. They said you would be able to accomplish many spells that had not been known since before we were exiled the first time. Mildred tells me that you killed a cave troll with command once and that you taught him healing when you were badly wounded."  
  
"The mind and the body are separate to a certain degree mother. It is just a matter of realizing the potential your mind has and using that. Elves taught me that. They are not a race to be underestimated mother."  
  
"Still I fear for you. How many months are you?"  
  
"Almost two. Which is why we need to return to Eryn Lasgalen so quickly."  
  
"I understand daughter. But before you leave I ask you one thing." Asura said and Celebfaer looked at her waiting to hear what she would say. "I ask only that you return to the realm within twenty years for I am tired and when you come back to claim the throne I shall leave the realm."  
  
"I shall mother. Within twenty years I shall return, with Legolas or alone, but I shall return." Celebfaer said and her mother nodded  
  
"Thank you daughter." The Queen said then she turned and walked from the room.  
  
So before Celebfaer knew what was happening she, Legolas and Rosa were sitting on top of their horses, Rosa leading the pack horse and they were riding off towards the gateway, escorted by a group of the Queen's guard; Sabin at the head.  
  
When they reached the gateway, Sabin pulled his horse up beside hers.  
  
"I will miss your company. Yours also Legolas." Sabin said and Celebfaer nodded as Legolas clasped him on the shoulder.  
  
"We will meet again Sabin." Legolas said and Sabin nodded.  
  
"I hope that your journey is swift and safe. Farewell." Sabin said then he muttered the word to open the gateway before he turned his horse and started the trek back to the city.  
  
So, they urged their horses forward glad to finally be on their way back to Eryn Lasgalen, the place Celebfaer considered to be home. 


	11. Chapter Ten: Back With The Elves

A/N: Just thought I'd post this one up today as well, seeing as its as close to finished as its gunna get! By the way I hope it is alright, because I've never written this sort of thing before. Anyway I won't say too much before I give it away. Enjoy!  
  
Louise Blue  
  
Chapter Ten: Back With The Elves  
  
Two months passed on their journey back to Eryn Lasgalen, and Legolas managed to grow his hair almost back to its normal length. The day it had gotten long enough to braid he had allowed Celebfaer to do them for him, while he put braids in her own hair. Though for once she did not shake them out and claim that they did not belong to her. She left the braids in and Rosa laughed at the two of them.  
  
"Master Greenleaf, you should consider keeping your hair short. It suits you." Rosa commented as Celebfaer was braiding his hair once more and Celebfaer laughed.  
  
"That is like telling a fairy to cut off their wings Rosa. Every hair on an Elf's head is sacred. Especially this Elf." Celebfaer said smiling up at him and he laughed in response.  
  
"Mind you it was the first thing that you noticed about me."  
  
"Because it was in such good condition. Only two people had finer hair and both were she-elves." Celebfaer said with a smile as she finished braiding his hair. "Maybe our child will inherit your vanity." She added and then the three of them laughed.  
  
Rosa had easily managed to fit in with the two of them, which did not surprise Celebfaer. Rosa was easy-going and very wise. Though she did not speak freely too often, when she did Celebfaer felt as though she was an old friend, not her maid.  
  
When they were close to the city where the Elves dwelt in Eryn Lasgalen, Legolas started looking around, searching for the guards, but they found none until they were within sight of the city.  
  
Rosa gasped when she saw the city. "My Lady, the fairies could not even build something as fair." Rosa said and Celebfaer laughed.  
  
"It is home." She said softly and Legolas smiled at her then pulled his horse closer to hers so that he could take her hand.  
  
"Melamin let us pray they remember who we are." He said happily and Celebfaer laughed, which drew the attention of the guards and they dropped out of the trees all around them, making Rosa gasp in shock once more, but Celebfaer put her hand up to calm the maid as the guard in front of Legolas' horse bowed deeply.  
  
"Your highness, forgive us we did not think it was you." He said and Legolas smiled at the young elf.  
  
"Where is my father?"  
  
"I believe he is somewhere within the city your highness.." The guard started but he was cut off by another voice.  
  
"Where is he? I'm going to kill him!" The voice said and the Elf that it belonged to came into view a few seconds later, then punched Legolas in the shoulder. "How dare you leave me to handle all your dirty work for over a year!" He said and Legolas laughed then embraced the Elf.  
  
"Brother. I am glad to be back. Now, where is our father I have something to tell him."  
  
"It seems you always come back from journeys with news. Come I shall take you." He replied then he turned to Celebfaer and nodded. "My Lady, you have brought him back once more and for that I am grateful."  
  
"Eran, I merely follow in his footsteps." She said, dismounting also as Legolas gave orders for the guards to take the horses and put their things in their rooms. But before he could say anything about Rosa, Celebfaer told her to follow them and Legolas looked at her, questioningly.  
  
"It is best that your father knows that there are two of my kind within the city." She explained and then without a word of argument he nodded before following Eran.  
  
News of Legolas' return had preceded him and the King met them on the steps leading to the castle. When they met, Thranduil embraced his son before he turned and nodded to Celebfaer. But when he saw Rosa he turned to his son for an explanation.  
  
"She is my servant from my realm. A parting gift from my mother." Celebfaer explained and the king nodded.  
  
"Then I will see to it that she is given her own rooms close to yours Celebfaer." Thranduil said and she nodded.  
  
"That would be greatly appreciated your highness." Celebfaer replied and Thranduil sent for one of his own servants to take Rosa to the room she would be staying in.  
  
"Come, let us take some refreshment." The king said, leading them to his study where the four of them sat down as the servants poured them wine. Celebfaer declined the wine that was offered and asked for some water instead to which the king became concerned.  
  
"Celebfaer are you ill?" He asked and she shook her head.  
  
"Nay, your majesty." She replied and Legolas spoke up then.  
  
"She is with child father." Legolas said, as he was never one to avoid a topic.  
  
Thranduil did not react as Legolas thought he would. He slowly put the cup that he had been about to drink from down then he stood from his chair.  
  
"It is possible?" He asked and Legolas frowned at his father.  
  
"Of course it is possible! In eight months the babe will be born." Legolas said staring at his father and Celebfaer stood up.  
  
"There is one that is proof of the union between Elf and Fairy." She said and everyone looked at her. "You met him when we traveled through here on our way to Withered Heath. Mildred's father was an Elf but his mother died giving birth to him and of the father we do not know." She added and Thranduil nodded.  
  
"So be it. In eight months we shall witness with our own eyes."  
  
That night the King held a great feast to celebrate Legolas' homecoming, but it was not announced that Celebfaer was pregnant until it was absolutely necessary. When her stomach began to swell it was hard to hide it from the people, so they announced it much to the shock of the kingdom.  
  
The months seemed to fly by and Rosa had been accepted by all of the servants and when she was not in attendance of Celebfaer or Legolas she would be in the healers halls, learning all that she could and teaching as much as she was allowed.  
  
Legolas watched Celebfaer constantly, hardly leaving her side, except to tend to his father and help to run the kingdom. He had noticed the aura that was around her grew stronger and more vibrant each day and in the days towards the end of her pregnancy the aura was so bright that he could barely look at her.  
  
The bigger Celebfaer got the less she seemed to move around and most days she was found sitting on the balcony in their rooms, talking to Rosa or Legolas or staring at the view when neither were around. She would often sit with her hands resting on her stomach, wondering about the future and what would become of the baby. They had not spoken of names that they liked for a baby and Celebfaer assumed that when she saw it she would know exactly what to call it, if Legolas did not already think of a name.  
  
It was a fine spring day and the mid afternoon sun was shining brightly when the first pains came. Legolas was not there, because he had been attending his father, but fortunately Rosa was. She was not sitting with Celebfaer, but she was in their rooms, cleaning when suddenly she heard Celebfaer cry out in pain.  
  
Flapping her wings quickly, she was beside Celebfaer in an instant and she grabbed her hand, until it was over.  
  
"My Lady?" Rosa asked and Celebfaer looked at her.  
  
"I think its coming." She said then she sat back for a second to catch her breath. "Help me up Rosa, we have to get to the healing halls." She added, though she was scared.  
  
Rosa nodded and squeezed her hand before helping her rise from the chair, slowly. "Should I send for Legolas?" Rosa asked her once they were up and walking towards the door.  
  
"Nay. Wait until we reach the healing halls and one of them can send for him there. I need you with me." Celebfaer said.  
  
They made it out into the hall before the next pain came and Celebfaer grabbed Rosa's hand so hard that she thought she would cut off the circulation. When it was over Celebfaer had to rest against the wall and catch her breath for a few seconds before they could continue.  
  
Rosa did not let her go, putting one arm around her waist as they walked, while she held Celebfaer's hand with her free arm. However they made it another three steps before Legolas appeared in the hallway, white as a ghost and he ran up to them when he saw them.  
  
"What is it?" He asked and Rosa allowed him to take Celebfaer's weight, though Rosa did not let go of Celebfaer's hand.  
  
"I think the baby is coming."  
  
"Then what are you doing? You should be in bed. Turn around I will send for the healers." He demanded but she shook her head.  
  
"Nay. I must get to the house of healing." She said and Legolas sighed.  
  
"Okay." He said then he picked her up and began to carry her, so Rosa let go of her hand.  
  
"No! Rosa!" Celebfaer cried. "Don't leave me!"  
  
"It is alright my Lady. I am still here." She said, patting Celebfaer on one of her legs to let her know she was not going anywhere.  
  
They were moving much quicker now that Legolas was carrying Celebfaer, but they had only gotten halfway to the house of healing before another of the pains came and Celebfaer gripped Legolas' shoulders so hard that he had to stop and put her on her feet, while still holding her up. By now many of the palace servants had seen them and many had run ahead to tell the healers to be ready for her.  
  
"Ah, Valar that hurts." Celebfaer said when the pain had subsided and Legolas nodded.  
  
"I know melamin. I know." He said taking a handkerchief from his pocket and wiping the sweat off Celebfaer's forehead. "We are almost there." He said and she nodded then he picked her up again and they made it all the way to the house of healing, where she was taken from his arms and carried by four women into a room, Rosa was allowed in, but they shut the door before he could get in.  
  
The bond they shared had allowed him to know that she was in pain, though he could feel some of it he knew that the dull pain he felt in his head was only a small amount compared to what she was feeling. One of the male healers offered him a chair, so Legolas took it and prepared himself for the long wait.  
  
He was only there for a short while before his father walked in and at the same time that his father walked in he heard Celebfaer scream in pain again from behind the door and he flinched. Thranduil walked over to where Legolas was sitting and placed a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"She will be alright." The king said and then he too took up a seat outside, ready to wait with his son.  
  
Inside the room, Rosa and the healers were preparing for the birth. Celebfaer was gripping Rosa's hand as though her life depended on retaining contact with her.  
  
'My Lady all is well.' Rosa sent to Celebfaer once the pain had subsided.  
  
'When must we link?' Celebfaer's voice asked in Rosa's head. Her voice was amazingly enough as strong as though she were not in any pain, which surprised Rosa, but she had always known that Celebfaer had a strong mind.  
  
'Soon my Lady. Soon.' Rosa replied closing her eyes and praying to the Valar that Celebfaer would come out of this alive.  
  
Legolas was sitting outside the room, listening to every scream and flinching every time he heard one, for 36 hours straight. He dared not move, though Thranduil, Eran and Operon often sat with him, none stayed for longer than a few hours. They all tried to get him to eat, but he could not. He would not eat or move from his spot until he knew that everything in that room was okay. Somehow she had managed to block the bond that they shared so all he had to go by was the screams he heard or on the chance that one of the healers would come out to fetch more water or cloth he would get the quick report from them before they darted back inside.  
  
However all of a sudden he heard a silence from the room. The silence lasted longer than Legolas thought it should, but before long the door opened and the eldest healer walked out, using a towel to wipe the blood off her hands until she reached the basin, where she washed her hands.  
  
"Is there news?" Legolas asked her, jumping up from his chair and walking over to where she stood, but she looked up at him then bowed.  
  
"Your highness." She said then she turned and walked straight back into the room, shutting the door behind her.  
  
Legolas could not stand it anymore he went to the door and thumped on it. "What has happened?" He demanded in such a loud voice that the male healer came over to him and pushed him away from the door.  
  
"You must not disturb them. When all is well, they will tell you your highness." He said and Legolas glared at him, then turned and threw a right handed punch at the closest wall. His hand caused the wood that the wall was made from to crack and splinter and he got a few splinters lodged into his hand, but the healer instantly took his hand and begun to tend to it. It helped him take his mind off what may have happened in the room where his wife lay.  
  
In fact he became so engrossed in watching the healer tend to his hand that he did not see the door open and one of the younger healers walk out, look for him then walk over to where he was sitting. She looked exhausted but he did not notice her until she spoke.  
  
"Your highness." She said, curtsying and he looked up, then waved the male healer away as he stood up.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"You have a son." She said and Legolas smiled.  
  
"A son!" He exclaimed but he contained his excitement for a brief moment. "And my wife?"  
  
The healer hesitated just slightly before she answered. "She lives."  
  
"Can I see them now?"  
  
"Nay. That would not be wise. I was told to inform you of your child and that you must not enter the room until permitted to do so."  
  
"What about Rosa? Can Rosa come out and see me?"  
  
"Nay. She cannot." The healer said, then she bowed before turning and disappearing into the room once more.  
  
Legolas began to worry then. Why would they not let him see Celebfaer and why had they not brought out his son?  
  
Annoyed Legolas strode over to the door. They could not keep him from his wife and his child. He put his hand on the handle and opened it before the male healer had realized what he had done.  
  
"I must see them." Legolas called as he walked into the room.  
  
What he saw there was not what he expected. Celebfaer was on the bed, eyes closed and looking exhausted, but her breathing was so slow that he could count minutes between each breath. Rosa was slumped in a chair next to Celebfaer she had her eyes closed and although she was breathing slowly too, she was breathing a lot faster than Celebfaer was.  
  
Rushing to the bed he took Celebfaer's hand in his own, squeezing it to try and get a reaction, but there was none. All he felt was the coolness of her skin. The coolness of her skin made him realize that one day he would lose her and he thought that maybe he had lost her already and that thought scared him the most. He did not want to lose her yet.  
  
"What happened?" Legolas demanded though he tried to make his voice steady, he knew he could not and the healers shook their heads, finally recovered from the shock that he had entered the room.  
  
"We could not prevent it. She was fine until the baby was born and then she closed her eyes and they did not open again, no matter how much we called to her, and her breathing has slowed since. We have tried everything. The maid is the same, though it was almost as if she has retreated to her mind and does not wish to wake up." The eldest healer said and Legolas shook his head in disbelief.  
  
"She will not die." He said then he leaned down and kissed her forehead. After a few minutes he turned to look at the healers again. "Where is my son?" He asked and they pointed to a small cot that was set aside. So Legolas walked over to where it was and looked down at the baby. He was sleeping, but it looked as though it was a normal sleep because he was breathing normally, but oddly enough his eyes were closed. Reaching down Legolas picked his son up and frowned when he felt his back. The baby had no wings, though his ears had the tiniest points at their tips. Smiling he reached down and lightly touched his sons ears with his fingertip and the baby's eyes flew open to reveal brilliant blue eyes. So he had inherited his father's eyes, in fact it appeared that the only thing he had not inherited from his father was the ability to sleep with his eyes open. Though the baby did not have any hair yet, so they would not know until it grew if he had inherited anything else from his mother.  
  
It amazed Legolas that the baby did not cry, it just looked up at him for a few seconds before its eyes fluttered lazily and it went back to sleep.  
  
"Feanin." Legolas whispered and then he put his son back into his cot, before he turned around to look at the two women that were still unconscious.  
  
As he looked, he realized that Celebfaer's breathing was slowly starting to quicken, but Rosa's was getting slower. He did not understand it, but somehow he knew that Rosa was doing something to try and keep Celebfaer alive, though it would probably cost Rosa her life.  
  
"No." Legolas said softly. "Rosa.." He started but the eldest healer stood in front of him then and blocked his sight of the two women.  
  
"You must leave now, your highness. We will keep you updated." She said and he nodded, though he did it reluctantly and the healer was already pushing him towards the door.  
  
"Do not let them die. They are very important to me." He said and the healer nodded, then Legolas left the room, only to run into his father, Eran and Operon all standing outside the door waiting to hear what he had to say.  
  
"I have a son." Legolas said and the king smiled.  
  
"And Celebfaer?" Thranduil asked, but Legolas did not reply, he could not reply.  
  
Instead, he walked from the house of healing, and kept walking because he needed to be alone. He did not stop walking until he reached the garden his father had built for his mother when she had traveled west. There he fell to his knees. "Mother, please let her live." He whispered and then silently he wept. 


	12. Chapter Eleven: Delivery

A/N: Okay I back track a little here, but it was the only way to make this chapter work. Cheers and here's to no more exams!!  
  
Louise Blue  
  
Chapter Eleven: Delivery  
  
Rosa had sent her the message telepathically to tell her when to link and without a further breath, she had linked with her.  
  
'My Lady linking with me dulls the bond with your husband, you won't feel him and he won't feel you, it is essential that your whole attention is on the birth, otherwise we could lose the child.' Rosa sent and Celebfaer nodded.  
  
'It is alright but it hurts so much. Is it supposed to hurt this much?' Celebfaer asked.  
  
'It is normal for the first birth, though you are in a lot more pain than I thought you would be. It is amazing that your voice is so strong.'  
  
'I learnt a trick from the Elves that allows me to keep my mind free of the body, but I do not know if I will be able to maintain it.'  
  
'You can draw your strength from me, it is why we link.'  
  
'I will only do that when it is necessary.' Celebfaer replied as another wave of pain hit her and the healers instructed her on what to do and she no longer spoke to Rosa telepathically.  
  
It seemed to take forever and with each contraction that came the pain got worse. Very quickly she got tired, but it wasn't until she was almost at the point of exhaustion that she drew on Rosa's strength. The baby seemed to not want to come out. It was almost as though something was holding it in, wanting to kill both her and the baby.  
  
'Rosa, I do not think I can make it.' Celebfaer said after many hours, she was utterly exhausted, mentally and physically and yet the Elvish healers still expected more of her because the baby had not yet been born.  
  
'My Lady hold on. There is not much to go.' Rosa replied then Celebfaer felt Rosa give in completely to her. 'You must live my Lady. I am not important, so take my strength.' Rosa added but Celebfaer refused to drain her completely.  
  
'Nay. You are strong Rosa, I cannot take all your strength.' Celebfaer said with new-found confidence and Rosa felt Celebfaer block some of her mind off to Rosa so that Rosa could not let Celebfaer drain her.  
  
Then the oddest sensation overcame Celebfaer. It was almost as though her soul was being torn in two and it took her a few seconds to realize what was happening. Over the course of the pregnancy Celebfaer's mind had also expanded in its capacity and it was now being downsized back to its original state. The other half was trying to break away from her, and it was this half that was the baby.  
  
'Rosa can you feel that?'  
  
'Yes. It is the child.. This is the reason that all fairies have all their abilities when they are born, because their mind merges with their mother's. A mother's link to her child is always strong because of it.' Rosa explained, though her voice was showing how tired she herself was.  
  
But then something strange happened, the soul that was to be the baby's separated itself, then it started to flow upwards, as though it did not want to stay on the earth.  
  
Then Celebfaer's ears heard the words of the Elvish healers.  
  
"He's not breathing..."  
  
"No!" Celebfaer said out loud, opening her eyes and looking around at the healers and her newborn son who to her amazement was not breathing. Closing her eyes, she retreated into her mind, throwing Rosa out as she did, then she took flight after the baby's soul. She knew she could find it, even though she was exhausted.  
  
'You cannot!' She called out to it, but it was flying a lot faster than she was. In order to speed up Celebfaer knew she would have to desert her body entirely. Knowing what that would likely mean she took the risk. She would not loose her child and if it meant her death then so be it.  
  
It was surprisingly easy for her to leave her body behind as she increased her speed and caught up with the baby's soul, overtaking it and stopping in front of it.  
  
'Go back!' She said to it, but it just laughed then tried to dodge her. But she was ready for it and she grabbed it and clutched it tightly in her hands before speeding back down to earth and the room where her body lay.  
  
She found her son, in the arms of one of the Elvish healers and she pushed his soul into him, then using her mind she threaded and weaved until the soul of the baby and the baby itself were one.  
  
"He has started breathing!" The healer that was holding him exclaimed and Celebfaer nodded, then knowing her job was done, she allowed herself to relax and she began to float upwards. She was so exhausted that she did not even have the strength to bind her soul back to her body.  
  
Rosa smiled as she heard the words then she looked around at the Elvish healers who were all rejoicing at the fact that by some miracle the child had began to breath again, but a few seconds later Celebfaer's hand, which had not let go of Rosa's the whole time went limp.  
  
Rosa understood then and she knew what she must do, so she sat on the chair next to the bed and then she retreated to her mind, trying to find Celebfaer's soul.  
  
******************************************  
  
Legolas waited for a whole month before he got anything else from the healers. True he did not return to his rooms to sleep much, but he was so worried and lost without Celebfaer that he did not know what to do. Rosa had also gone into the same state as Celebfaer, but she was still gripping her hand, so the healers had put two beds side by side and put the two of them there.  
  
Legolas spent most of his time sitting by the bedside, holding their son in his arms as he wished for Celebfaer to open her eyes or show some from of life other than the painstakingly slow breathing.  
  
Their son, he had named Feanin, because they could not wait for Celebfaer to come back to the land of the living and help him decide on a name. Feanin was growing healthily though the healers were amazed that the child was alive. They had told him that when the child had been born it had not been breathing and when Celebfaer had discovered this she had closed her eyes and a few minutes later the baby was breathing again, but Celebfaer was breathing only slightly. But when Rosa had realized this she also had retreated into her mind and neither of the two women had awoken since. It took him a whole month to get that information out of the healers and after that a numbness took him. If it weren't for Feanin he would have given in to despair.  
  
Feanin had taken to drinking goats milk quite nicely and the baby was very healthy. Legolas just wished that Celebfaer was there to share the joy of the newborn child with him.  
  
*****************************************  
  
Finally she had found her. She was in a little garden of her own where it seemed like it was always spring, fruits growing on the trees and flowers all around her and the sun shinning down brilliantly. Celebfaer was walking through the garden singing a happy tune, a content smile on her face.  
  
'Celebfaer!' Rosa called out and Celebfaer turned to look at Rosa's spirit, a frown on her face.  
  
'Who are you?' She asked.  
  
'It's Rosa, my Lady.' Rosa replied, suddenly afraid because Celebfaer had not recognized her, which was a bad sign. It was worse than Rosa had first thought.  
  
'Rosa? Why are you here?'  
  
'I must take you back.. You are not ready to go..' Rosa replied and Celebfaer laughed.  
  
'But it is so nice up here. Where else would I want to be other than here?'  
  
'What about your husband? What about your son?'  
  
'Husband? Son? I do not have either of those. I have everything I need here. Come and walk with me through the garden.' Celebfaer said, reaching a hand out to the spirit-like form of Rosa.  
  
Taking Celebfaer's hand, Rosa was pulled into her world. She was in the garden, and it smelt divine, not to mention the feel of the grass under her feet. It was almost as though all her senses were amplified to feel how beautiful the garden was.  
  
'Would you like a pear?' Celebfaer asked picking a pear from the tree and offering it to Rosa.  
  
Taking it, Rosa took a bite and marveled at the taste. 'It is magnificent.'  
  
'Yes. I have grown all these trees myself. But no one ever comes to visit. I am so glad to finally get someone to keep me company. The fruits would go to waste otherwise and I do not like waste.'  
  
'My Lady, this is not the real world.' Rosa said, putting her pear on one of the branches in the tree, only half eaten, but even as she put the pear down it disappeared. 'This is the spirit world.'  
  
'Nonsense. I am real, you are real even though I do not know who you are.'  
  
'My Lady, what happened to you? Do you not remember Legolas?'  
  
'Legolas?' Celebfaer asked frowning. 'The name is familiar, but I do not know of who you speak.'  
  
'He is your husband. An Elf of the woodland realm, Eryn Lasgalen.' Rosa replied, hoping anything would jog her memory and make her remember.  
  
'An Elf? Nonsense. I would never wed an Elf. I am a fairy, keeper of the trees and all things in nature.' She replied laughing at Rosa. 'You also are a fairy, so I do not understand why you would be around Elves.'  
  
'My Lady, do you remember nothing?' Rosa asked, despairing now, because she knew if they did not leave soon, Celebfaer would loose her memory of everything back in the real world and then she really would be dead in the real world. The body could not live without the mind, but the mind could live without the body, because the mind was the essence of everything.  
  
'I remember an Elf with brilliant blue eyes, but I think I did not like him because Elves are the enemy of Fairies are they not?'  
  
'Nay, my Lady you dwelt with the Elves for over 2500 years.'  
  
'Nonsense.'  
  
'Do you not remember your own name?'  
  
'Celebfaer. I remember that, though I do not know what it means.'  
  
'It is Elvish for 'Silverspirit'. My Lady you have so much for you in the real world, please come back. Your husband, Legolas, the Elf with the blue eyes, and your newborn son need you.'  
  
'But who will look after the trees?'  
  
'The Valar will look after the trees.'  
  
'Who are the Valar?' Celebfaer asked and Rosa sighed.  
  
'My Lady, if it would please you then I will stay here instead and look after the trees, as long as you return to the real world. You are important.'  
  
'Why?' Celebfaer asked but before Rosa could respond, they heard a loud crash and Celebfaer's eyes widened in shock. 'Madam you must get down, he will be here any minute and I must defend the trees.' Celebfaer said and Rosa nodded then lowered herself to the ground as Celebfaer flew up into the sky, just as a creature the size of a dragon flew into sight.  
  
It was as large as a dragon, but it was not a dragon. It was long and thin with two large wings protruding from its back. And it looked more like a worm or a snake with wings if anything. It saw Celebfaer and began to fly in her direction, but before it could hit, Celebfaer had called lightening and the beast was struck and it died almost instantly. In its dying moment however, one of its arms flung out and hit Celebfaer, sending her plummeting to the ground. But the beast, instead of falling to the ground disappeared as though it had never existed. Rosa could not believe that a beast as big as that had just disappeared, but she had to worry about Celebfaer. Getting up she looked around, trying to find where Celebfaer had fallen.  
  
But Celebfaer stood up and started to walk in the opposite direction to where Rosa was, as though she had forgotten Rosa was even there before Rosa had found her. Frowning, Rosa ran after her, calling out to her to try and get Celebfaer to stop.  
  
'My Lady?'  
  
Celebfaer stopped and turned around, a frown on her face when she saw Rosa. 'Rosa? What are you doing here?' Celebfaer asked and Rosa frowned. Seconds before Celebfaer had not remembered her and now after falling to the ground from the blow she had taken she finally remembered her.  
  
'I was...' Rosa started but Celebfaer cut her off.  
  
'Does my son live?'  
  
'Yes, my Lady, he lives.' Rosa said, glad that Celebfaer's memory seemed to be back to normal.  
  
'Good. I've been searching for a way to get out of this place, but I can't seem to find it.' Celebfaer said looking around and Rosa smiled.  
  
'Take my hand, my Lady and I will take you out of here.' Rosa said, so Celebfaer took her hand, as Rosa flapped her wings and began to fly upwards.  
  
They climbed until the garden had disappeared behind them and then Rosa began the decent back to the real world.  
  
'I feel as though I am leaving something behind.' Celebfaer said, her face slightly confused. 'Was I looking for something?' She asked and Rosa shook her head.  
  
'Nay. You are coming home now.' She replied and Celebfaer let go of her hand.  
  
'I can fly without assistance. Though I do not know where I am going.' Celebfaer said and Rosa nodded.  
  
'Then follow me and I will lead you back.'  
  
************************************  
  
It had been a year and a half since the day that the Feanin had been born and the child was walking, running and talking now, much to Legolas' delight, but still there had been no change in Celebfaer's, or Rosa's condition. So reluctantly and under the direction of his father, Legolas had spent a few hours every day in counsel with his father, preparing for the day when Thranduil would leave the realm and Legolas would take over the running of the kingdom. His father also forced Legolas to eat and sleep in his own rooms, so he would only spend the afternoons sitting in the house of healing, playing with his son as he willed Celebfaer to come back to them.  
  
He had almost given up hope, but he was still sitting beside the bed wondering if she would ever regain consciousness and if she did not what he would do without her.  
  
It was late in the afternoon and Feanin was playing with a ball that someone had made for him. Feanin had inherited his mother's hair as he now had a head full of brown hair. It was short, as it was for most Elvish children, until they turned ten when they were allowed to grow it long. Feanin was a sweet child and he had a smile that would melt his father's heart. If it wasn't for Feanin, Legolas knew he would have fallen into despair long before this.  
  
"Feanin." Legolas said now and the child looked up and smiled at him.  
  
"Da?"  
  
"Time for some dinner?" Legolas asked and Feanin nodded.  
  
"Yep. Hungry." Feanin said and Legolas laughed then looked at Celebfaer for a little while longer.  
  
But just before he was about to tear his eyes away and turn in for another night he noticed a change. Her breathing began to quicken and as he watched it quickened to that of a person that was sleeping normally. It was strange to watch, because seconds before she had been breathing so deeply and so slowly that he could count over a minute between each breath and now she was breathing as though she was just sleeping, nothing more.  
  
Too shocked to do anything but stare he watched and she moved her head ever so slightly as one does when they are sleeping.  
  
"Da? Me hungry." Feanin said, walking to stand at his father's feet, and tugging on Legolas' leggings.  
  
"Feanin, run and get the healer, quickly." Legolas said, without taking his eyes off Celebfaer.  
  
"But, Da..."  
  
"Now!" Legolas said and Feanin nodded then ran from the room, calling to the healers and Legolas leaned forward and grabbed her hand. "Melamin, could it be?" He whispered softly and then two healers arrived. Both of them had their eyes wide as though something frightening was about to happen and Legolas looked up at them as the eldest one spoke.  
  
"Your highness?" She asked.  
  
"She is breathing normally. What is going on?" Legolas asked. He could not explain it but he could see a faint aura around her now too, but he still could not feel her in his head. Hurrying, he rushed to where Rosa lay and as he walked over, the maid's eyes fluttered and she opened them as though she had forgotten how to do it.  
  
"Rosa!" Legolas called urgently and Rosa looked at him, her eyes taking a while to focus.  
  
"I found her." Rosa said weakly then she closed her eyes and was back asleep before Legolas could ask any more.  
  
"Rosa!" Legolas called, then he shook her shoulder, but the only response he got was Rosa shifting in her sleep. "Rosa!" Legolas called again urgently and he tried to shake her again, but one of the healers came up to him and stopped him.  
  
"Your highness." She said and Legolas stopped then looked at her before sighing and nodding.  
  
"Sorry." He said and then the healers started talking excitedly to each other and Legolas looked from one to the other, not following what they were saying.  
  
"Do you know what is going on?" He asked and the eldest spoke up.  
  
"Their spirits have returned." She said and Legolas could have cried with excitement, except that Feanin was watching him, curiously.  
  
"I will leave you to your work then." Legolas said, smiling at the healers and they nodded. "If either wake up you are to send for me instantly and I will return. But now I have a hungry son to feed." Legolas added and the healers smiled at him.  
  
"Certainly your highness."  
  
Legolas nodded then he picked up his son and headed to the kitchens to get some food.  
  
Eran found him sitting in the empty dinning hall, feeding Feanin a short while later and his brother smiled at him.  
  
"Is it true that they have returned?" Eran asked and Legolas nodded.  
  
"They live. By some miracle Rosa has managed to bring her back." Legolas replied and Eran nodded then sat down next to Feanin and began to play with him. "Eran, I am trying to fed him, please!" Legolas said irritably and Feanin laughed then stuck his tongue out at his father.  
  
"Yucky food." He said, screwing up his nose and he knew the lecture he was about to get, so he got up from his chair and began running around the room, like a lunatic. Legolas thought yet again that it was a good thing he did not have wings or else Legolas would never be able to keep up with him.  
  
"Feanin!" Legolas called, but the child ignored him. "Feanin you will come back and sit down then finish your dinner, or you will starve for a week!" Legolas bellowed, angrily and that stopped the child.  
  
He came straight back to the table and then even offered to feed himself, which Legolas allowed him to do. He had been in no mood for nonsense now that his hope for Celebfaer had returned with a strong force.  
  
"How do you feel brother?" Eran asked, as they watched Feanin.  
  
"Relieved. Though I will feel better when she is awake. I have missed her terribly this past year and a half." Legolas replied and Eran nodded.  
  
"I have seen you suffer." He said. "We all have."  
  
But before he could answer Feanin's laughter surprised him.  
  
"Ma awake!" Feanin said. "Ma awake!" He said again, louder this time and Legolas frowned then realized that he could feel Celebfaer in his head once again, and she was in fact awake.  
  
Legolas did not hesitate, he jumped from his seat, sending the food on his plate, that he had not touched, flying and then without looking back he ran from the room.  
  
He ran straight into the house of healing, then straight into the room, where one of the healers was feeding Celebfaer some soup because she was too weak to do it herself. Rosa was not yet awake, but Legolas had no eyes for her, though the healer jumped when the door burst open and he strode in, panting from the running he had done.  
  
Celebfaer looked up and saw him, then smiled weakly, but she could not speak and before she had blinked, he was standing beside her bed and he had leaned down to kiss her, half sitting on the bed as he did so that he could get close to her.  
  
"Melamin." He said softly, cupping her face with his hands not being able to contain his joy that she was awake. Then he leaned down and kissed her again and the healer retreated from the room. "It has been too long." Legolas whispered. "Too long." He said again and she looked at him, questioning.  
  
"How long?" She croaked so softly that he barely heard it and he did not recognize her voice.  
  
"A year and half melamin." Legolas said, not wanting to let her go, but knowing that he must, so he went and sat in the chair that the healer had just occupied, but he took her hand, not wanting to let her go in case she fell asleep and did not wake up again.  
  
"Our son?" Celebfaer asked in that soft croaky voice that he did not know.  
  
"He is healthy. Walking and talking, it's amazing. He has your hair..." Legolas started, running one of his own hands through her hair as he spoke and at that moment Feanin came through the door himself, and Eran came behind, trying to stop the boy, but he could not be stopped.  
  
"Ma!" Feanin called when he saw her sitting up and then he jumped onto the bed and hugged her, winding Celebfaer and Legolas pulled him off, scared that he had killed her or something.  
  
"She is still weak, you must be gentle!" Legolas said, warningly and Celebfaer smiled weakly.  
  
"Name?" She asked and Legolas smiled but Feanin frowned.  
  
"Speak? Can't hear!" Feanin said and Legolas laughed, then held him back from jumping on Celebfaer again and doing worse damage.  
  
"His name is Feanin." Legolas said and Celebfaer smiled.  
  
"Perfect." She said then she closed her eyes, feeling utterly exhausted.  
  
"Wake Ma!" Feanin said and Legolas silenced him.  
  
"We will go and wait for you to regain your strength." Legolas said but she opened her eyes and tried to shake her head.  
  
"Don't leave me.." She started and Legolas sighed.  
  
"I shan't." He said then he took her hand and told Feanin to go and find Eran, who was most likely waiting outside to hear some news.  
  
Legolas waited for Celebfaer to fall asleep until he left the room, but once he left he did not want to be in the company of other Elves, so instead of trying to find his brother and son, he went straight up to their rooms and as he lay down on the bed, a feeling that the world would be okay overcame him and he fell asleep with a smile on his face. 


	13. Chapter Twelve: Recovery

A/N: Hi! Sorry this one took so long to get out...... I've been so busy and its been too hot to do anything but sleep! Anyway I just put the finishing touches on this about 2 hours ago, so here it is.  
  
Enjoy.  
  
Chapter Twelve: Recovery  
  
The next day Legolas woke up feeling happy for the first time in over a year and a half. The sun was just peaking up over the horizon when he awoke and he wondered why he had woken up so early when suddenly he heard a giggle coming from the door, seconds before something threw itself on top of him, knocking his breath out of him.  
  
"Da!" He said happily and Legolas laughed then embraced his son.  
  
"Feanin." He said happily and then the child wriggled around until he was under the covers and he hugged his father.  
  
"Ma be okay?" He asked him then and Legolas nodded then looked down at his son.  
  
"She will. She may take a while to recover from such an event, but we must be patient and give her all the time that she needs." Legolas said and Feanin nodded.  
  
"Good." He said and then he fell silent and Legolas watched as the sun rose completely, bringing light to even the darkest places of the wood and lighting up the room as only the sun could. It had been one of Celebfaer's favourite things to do, watch the sun rise and then marvel at how brilliant the room looked when the light from the sun had lit it up.  
  
Legolas knew that it was going to be a good day, no matter what happened. Celebfaer was awake and alive and that meant she would be better very soon. Not only that, but their son was as healthy as he should be. Life couldn't get any better than it was at that moment and Legolas knew that he would be happy for the rest of his days as long as Celebfaer did not ever fall pregnant again. Only then would he begin to worry once more. But she was not better yet, so at the moment he would concentrate on the positive things.  
  
So, Legolas lay in bed for another half hour with his son, before he rose to dress. There were many things he needed to do today before he went to look in on Celebfaer. Things he had neglected after hearing that she was awake. Though it puzzled him a little that Feanin had known that his mother was awake before Legolas himself had. Could it be possible that Feanin and Celebfaer were linked in some way? There was only one way to find out and that was to ask Celebfaer herself. But first he had things to do.  
  
When he was finished dressing, he beckoned to Feanin, who first pretended to be asleep before he realized that Legolas was smarter than that and then he just started to whine, but Legolas told him to stop being a baby, even though he technically still was. That was the only thing that would get him out of bed. It seemed that he had inherited his father's pride and Legolas smiled as he dressed Feanin. His son was so much like him that it was uncanny. The only thing that made them different was Feanin's brown hair and the fact that he slept with his eyes closed.  
  
Legolas had just finished wrestling Feanin into his clothes when a servant knocked on the door.  
  
"Enter." He called and she walked in holding a rolled up piece of parchment.  
  
"This came for you from Gondor, your highness." She said and Legolas nodded then took the letter out of her hand and he ripped it open, reading the contents, fearing the worst.  
  
'Legolas,  
  
I hope this letter finds you well. I'm writing because I heard the news that you and Celebfaer have been graced with a son. It is fantastic news and I was glad to hear it, however the servant that carried the word also said that Celebfaer had fallen ill, which is ill news indeed. So I am happy to announce that I will be traveling to Eryn Lasgalen and I should arrive within a week or two of this letter. I hope that this does not inconvenience you, but I feel that you may need someone to share your grief with and I may also be of some assistance to the healers. My father taught me a few tricks that they might not yet know.  
  
I look forward to seeing you soon.  
  
Arwen Undomiel Queen of Gondor.'  
  
"Was there any other news?" Legolas asked and the servant nodded.  
  
"But an hour ago a Dwarf arrived demanding to see you, though he would give none his name. The head of the guard is down at the entrance trying to calm the Dwarf until he will state why he is here." The servant said and Legolas laughed.  
  
"Take me to the Dwarf." He said, then he mentioned for Feanin to come with him. But his son moved too slow, so after they had gone halfway, Legolas told Feanin to head to the house of healing so that he could meet him there.  
  
Legolas heard his old friend before he saw him.  
  
"So much for Elvish hospitality! I demand to see Legolas and I want to see him now!" Gimli was saying and Legolas laughed then he walked around the corner and he saw him.  
  
Gimli was glaring at the two Elves that were trying to prevent him from walking any further and although the Dwarf was half their size the Elves looked as though they would have to draw their knives to prevent the Dwarf from doing anything rash. They even looked a little scared of Gimli, who was resting his hands on his axe as though he were ready to draw it.  
  
"You stupid Elves. Let me see him!" Gimli said and then he had taken quite enough. "LEGOLAS!" Gimli shouted looking up at the trees as he stepped back from the Elves. "GREENLEAF GET DOWN HERE AT ONCE!" Gimli shouted once more and Legolas laughed, which was when Gimli finally saw him. "Legolas, it is about time you got here. I have been trying to tell these Elves to let me in, but they refuse to listen. They think I am an enemy!"  
  
"Gimli, you will wake the whole kingdom." Legolas said as he came up to where his friend was standing and he put an arm on his shoulder. "How have you been my friend?"  
  
"I was fine until these Elves showed up." He said and Legolas laughed, then he turned to address the Elves.  
  
"It is alright, he is a friend and he will not harm you unless you give him good enough reason to." He said and the Elves bowed to him then walked away, leaving Legolas and Gimli alone. "What brings you here my friend?" Legolas asked when they were alone.  
  
"Why you of course! I received news that you were back from your journey, so I came. And I had hoped that you would come hunting with me." Gimli said and Legolas laughed.  
  
"I would beat you yet again my friend. But I regret that I cannot. Celebfaer is ill and I must tend to her and our son, Feanin." Legolas said and Gimli laughed.  
  
"You have a son? Fantastic news. You must at least have a celebratory drink with me."  
  
"As you wish. Later on tonight we shall, but now there are other things I must see to. I'll make sure you are shown to some rooms and then I will come to see you." He said.  
  
"The Lady Celebfaer? Where is she?" Gimli asked and Legolas sighed.  
  
"She is in the house of healing, but she has only just began her recovery. It would be best if you did not disturb her Gimli, for I do not know how she will take surprises. I shall come by later and we can go and see her together." Legolas said and Gimli nodded.  
  
"I shall be in the dining hall!" Gimli replied and Legolas laughed, then watched as Gimli headed in the direction of the dining hall. He had been to Eryn Lasgalen before and he knew his way well.  
  
Legolas went in search of his father.  
  
An hour later Legolas went to the dining hall to get some food himself and he found Gimli was still there. Eran had found him and was sitting chatting to him as though they were old friends. Although most of the Elves thought Dwarves were strange and many avoided Gimli when he came to stay, Eran was not one of them. He liked to talk to Gimli as much as Legolas and so Gimli had accepted him too. It was almost as though Gimli was a brother to the both of them, though Thranduil was still uncomfortable with the Dwarf, though it was his way. Thranduil had in fact locked up Gimli's father in the dungeons once, though the information had been kept from Gimli and Thranduil. If either knew it could end in bloodshed.  
  
"Ah. He comes." Gimli said raising his cup to Legolas before emptying its contents and burping rather loudly.  
  
Legolas laughed then picked up a piece of bread from the chef's before he headed in their direction to eat.  
  
They talked for an hour or so before Legolas decided to go down to the house of healing and see if there had been any change with Celebfaer during the night.  
  
The healers were glad to see Legolas, but they tried to stay as far away from Gimli as possible, though Gimli walked right beside Legolas, proudly, so it was hard for them to avoid the Dwarf.  
  
"She regains her strength, your highness. Although Rosa has not yet awoken since yesterday when she spoke to you my Lord." The healer they spoke to said.  
  
"May we see her?"  
  
"Yes. The young prince is in there at the moment and I am sure she will welcome the new faces." The healer said and Legolas laughed. He knew what they meant. Feanin could be tiring sometimes and Celebfaer really was in no state to be annoyed by Feanin.  
  
Legolas walked into the room, and he saw Celebfaer sitting up, the colour back in her face, but she was still awfully thin. Feanin had just discovered her wings, moments before Legolas had walked in, and he kept trying to touch them and make them flap, but Celebfaer was trying to avoid his touch. She knew that as he was a child he did not know how to be gentle and it was possible that he would break them, something she did not want to happen because cleansing them again would be a very long journey.  
  
"Feanin!" She said in a disapproving voice, when they walked in the room. Her voice had recovered by now because Legolas recognized it and by the look of her she was almost back to normal. "Feanin, please, my wings are not to be played with....." She started and then she stopped when she saw Legolas, throwing him a pleading look. "Melamin, you have created a monster!" She exclaimed and Legolas laughed.  
  
"We have created the monster, Celebfaer. It was not entirely my own making." He said and she laughed then she saw Gimli.  
  
"Can it be?" She asked and Gimli bowed.  
  
"Lady Celebfaer I have come to visit. Though I will not stay for long, but I wish you to get better soon." He replied and she smiled then put her hand to her head, fighting a wave of dizziness.  
  
Legolas rushed to her side and took Feanin off her before he put his hand on her forehead.  
  
"Rest, melamin. You should not take on too much." Legolas said and she nodded.  
  
"I know."  
  
"I have more news, but it may not be an appropriate time to tell you. I will let you rest." Legolas said, leaning down and kissing the top of her head.  
  
"Nay. Tell me now I have strength." She said looking straight into his eyes and Legolas knew he could not argue with those eyes, so he obliged.  
  
"Arwen is on her way to Eryn Lasgalen. She will be here within two weeks." He said and Celebfaer nodded.  
  
"That is fantastic news Legolas. I have not seen her in over a year and shall look forward to greeting her again."  
  
"It is good to see you are on the mend." Legolas said after a brief silence and she nodded, then she turned so that she could look at Rosa lying in the bed next to her.  
  
"I am worried for Rosa. If I had the strength I would try to find her." She said and Legolas shook his head, grasping her hand as though he was about to loose her again. He could not handle that, not now that she was awake and on the mend.  
  
"I do not think that is wise. Rosa is who saved you."  
  
"I know. I somehow feel as though I should save her also." Celebfaer said then she closed her eyes briefly.  
  
"Melamin......" Legolas started, pleading with her voice, but Celebfaer nodded she understood.  
  
"I know and I won't. Now I think I need a rest." She said and Legolas nodded then picked up Feanin as the three of them walked out.  
  
"Legolas, she is stronger than you think. She will be alright, just give her time." Gimli said when they were out of the room.  
  
"I know Gimli." He replied and then he heard a screech.  
  
"Your Highness!" One of the healers said in a high pitched tone. "Your highness, not the medicines!" She said and Legolas turned to see Feanin had opened the cupboard and was about to pull all the medicines out of their bottles.  
  
"Feanin!" Legolas called and his son stopped then looked up at him.  
  
"Da?"  
  
"Come. Let's go for a walk." Legolas said and the child nodded before putting the bottles back and closing the cupboard then running over to where Legolas and Gimli stood.  
  
"Feanin? Good choice." Gimli said then the three of them walked from the house of healing.  
  
So preparations were made for the arrival of Arwen and sure enough a week and a half after the letter arrived, they heard trumpets sounding through the woods and guards reported back that the company from Gondor had arrived. So, Thranduil, Legolas and Eran were standing at the stables when they arrived, dressed appropriately to receive the only daughter of Lord Elrond and the Queen of Gondor.  
  
Much to their surprise, Aragorn was also with them. He had started to age quite a lot now there was a small amount of grey visible in his head of midnight black hair hair. But he still possessed the spirit that had been with him as long as Legolas had known him. It was a kingly spirit and he would never lose it, no matter how long he had fought it.  
  
Arwen on the other hand sat on her horse, next to her husband, shinning as radiantly as she had ever shone. The Evenstar had not aged a day and Legolas knew then what her choice meant. She would watch her husband turn grey and grow old, but she would never and it would not be until he died that she would chose to disappear from the world and dwell somewhere else. But she would never sail to Valinor and she would eventually diminish here on Middle Earth, but not until all that remembered her were gone. It was a sad thought and Legolas had to look away from her to chase the thought away.  
  
Gimli was also there, standing proudly beside Legolas. He had decided to stay until Arwen arrived but now that Aragorn was here also it seemed as though Gimli would be staying until they left.  
  
Aragorn and Arwen dismounted then bowed to Thranduil.  
  
"We thank you for your hospitality, your highness." Arwen said and Thranduil nodded, mentioning for them to rise.  
  
"Always will the daughter of Elrond be welcome here. As will the heir of Isildur, King Elessar." Thranduil said, addressing Aragorn.  
  
"Thank you my Lord." He replied bowing his head slightly.  
  
"Come let us take some refreshment." Thranduil said and Aragorn nodded.  
  
"Thank you." He replied and he offered his arm to Arwen, but she shook her head, then she looked at Legolas.  
  
"I must see her, for I fear the worst." Arwen said and Legolas nodded, with a smile.  
  
"She is on the mend, but I will take you to her." He replied.  
  
So, Aragorn, Gimli, Eran and Thranduil headed for Thranduil's study, while Legolas led Arwen to the house of healing.  
  
"What happened?" Arwen asked on their way.  
  
"She saved our child and did not wake up until the night before your letter arrived. She has been regaining strength since." Legolas said with a smile and Arwen nodded.  
  
"How long?"  
  
"A year and one half."  
  
"That is a long time." Arwen said, frowning slightly as they came to the doors of the house of healing. "And your child?"  
  
"He is as healthy as any eighteen month old."  
  
"A boy? And does he have wings?"  
  
"Nay, although Celebfaer tells me that if they are to appear they probably will not appear before the first one hundred years of life. Feanin is very much like me though, as you will see." Legolas said and Arwen smiled.  
  
"Then he has spirit. Always a promising sign." She said with a smile as Legolas opened the door and they entered the house of healing. When the healers saw Arwen they bowed deeply, to which she just nodded in response.  
  
"Your highness." They said to her, before repeating it to him.  
  
Legolas led Arwen to the room where Celebfaer was, just as they heard a screech of pain.  
  
"Feanin!" She shouted as Legolas entered the room, wanting to announce Arwen before springing her on Celebfaer.  
  
Feanin had finally managed to touch one of her wings, but Celebfaer had turned so quickly that he had been thrown back and hit the wall. Hence the screeching and now he started to cry.  
  
"I told you not to touch them!" Celebfaer called, warningly and then she fell back into her pillows. She still only had a small amount of strength, but Legolas saw that she was alright before he walked over to Feanin and picked him up, kissing him on the top of her head.  
  
"Feanin, there is no lump, so you will survive." Legolas said and Feanin stopped his wailing. He was getting more restless and becoming more of a nuisance each day now. "Melamin, did he hurt you?" Legolas asked Celebfaer and she shook her head.  
  
"Nay. But I do not fancy another trip to the top of Withered Heath any time soon, so we will have to keep him away from my wings." She said and Legolas nodded, then put him down and came over to the bed. "How is Arwen?" She asked and Legolas smiled.  
  
"You can ask her yourself, melamin." He said and Arwen walked in the door.  
  
Celebfaer smiled when she saw her. "Arwen! You have not aged a single day." She said and Arwen nodded then walked over to the bed where Celebfaer lay.  
  
"It is my fate." She said sadly, taking Celebfaer's left hand. "No matter. Are you healed properly?"  
  
"I will survive. Fairies always take a long time to heal." She said then she turned to look at the bed where Rosa lay. Her breathing was starting to slow, but Celebfaer had been true to her word, she would not try to save Rosa unless she knew she would be able to come back unchanged.  
  
"Is she healed?" Arwen asked, following Celebfaer's gaze and Celebfaer shrugged in response.  
  
"I fear she is passing. I think it is the price she had to pay for saving me. She was a dear friend." Celebfaer said and Arwen nodded, but Celebfaer grabbed her to stop her from going over to Rosa's bed. "You do not understand. She understood that by saving me the price would be paid. Rosa is old and though I will miss her, I realize that she will probably recover."  
  
"Surely there is something I can do, Celebfaer. You taught me......" Arwen started but Celebfaer shook her head.  
  
"I know what I taught you, but Rosa cannot be helped. It was her decision." Celebfaer replied. "But let us not talk of such things. How is Aragorn?"  
  
"He is here in Eryn Lasgalen. His time is also nearing to an end and he told me when I made my decision to come that he wished to come and see you and Legolas one last time. So he has and I had already sent the letter, so I do hope it has not inconvenienced your father Legolas."  
  
"Nay. It will be alright. There will be a feast held tonight in honor of the both of you coming to stay." Legolas said and Celebfaer shook their hands off and started to sit up. "Melamin?" Legolas asked, but she ignored him then she moved to the edge of the bed and put her feet on the ground. Using her wings to help her, she stood up then swayed slightly on her feet. "Melamin?" Legolas cried, running to her side. "What are you doing?"  
  
"I want to get out of bed." She said, a determined look on her face and Arwen nodded then offered her shoulder for Celebfaer to lean on.  
  
"You have not walked in a year and a half!" Legolas cried, but Celebfaer gripped Arwen's shoulder, taking a step forward.  
  
"I must walk eventually Legolas. I want to be at the feast tonight." She said firmly and Arwen smiled.  
  
"She always had spirit." Arwen said and Celebfaer took another step. This time, Legolas came to her other side and helped support her, in case she fell.  
  
It took them the rest of the morning and all afternoon, but Celebfaer was determined and she was finally able to walk without the support of either Legolas or Arwen. It was a slow walk, but she was walking.  
  
Smiling, Celebfaer walked to the door, then opened it and looked out at the healers.  
  
All four that attended the house of healing nearly fell over with shock when she walked out to one of the chairs and sat down.  
  
"Your highness!" The eldest one said coming over to feel her forehead and make sure everything was alright.  
  
"I am fine, Merci." She said. "Though I am a little hungry, is there anything here that I can eat, or shall I go to the kitchens?"  
  
"Nay!" Merci said, losing colour at her suggestion that she would walk to the kitchens. "I will make you something here." She added and then she set about making something for her, while another of the healers brought Celebfaer a piece of lembas.  
  
"Thank you." Celebfaer said as she took a bite.  
  
When she was finished eating, she stood up, swaying a little, but she turned and went back to the room, and got into bed.  
  
"Legolas, fetch one of my dresses, please." Celebfaer said and he nodded, then he kissed her, before taking Feanin and going to fetch an appropriate dress for Celebfaer to wear that evening.  
  
Arwen smiled at her. "I am surprised you did not do this earlier, Faer hen."  
  
"I could not. Legolas made sure I was not to get out of bed until I was strong enough and the healers enforced it as though it was the law. Though Feanin has spent many hours with me and I keep having to use all my strength to fend him off."  
  
"Children are like that." Arwen replied and Celebfaer nodded.  
  
Then someone knocked on the door.  
  
"Enter." Arwen called and Aragorn walked in the door, smiling at his wife, then nodding to Celebfaer.  
  
"I was told I would find you here. But where is Legolas?"  
  
"He is running an errand." Celebfaer replied and Aragorn smiled.  
  
"You are recovering then?"  
  
"Yes. In fact I am going to be at the feast tonight." She replied and Aragorn frowned.  
  
"Are you sure that is wise?"  
  
"Yes." Celebfaer said and then the door burst open to reveal Feanin.  
  
Aragorn turned and looked at the child then nodded. "This is your son?" He asked and Legolas replied, walking into the room, carrying a pale green dress.  
  
"Yes. Feanin." He said then he draped the dress over a chair, before he introduced Aragorn to Feanin.  
  
"If not for the hair, Legolas I could have sworn he was a small version of you." Aragorn said and Celebfaer laughed.  
  
"He is certainly his father's son." Celebfaer said and they all laughed.  
  
So Aragorn and Arwen stayed for a while longer before they had to leave to prepare for the ball. But Legolas would not let her leave his sight, so he decided to help her in to her dress, but Feanin was taken by one of the servants to prepare for the feast himself.  
  
Celebfaer was glad Legolas had decided to stay and help her, because he was more gentle than any servant would ever had been and when he was finished he brushed her hair, then braided it the same way he had the night before their wedding. She smiled at him, running her fingers through his hair then she kissed him.  
  
"Thank you melamin." She said and he smiled.  
  
"For you I would do anything. I just do not want you to have another child. I could not handle the feeling of almost loosing you again." He said then he kissed her tenderly.  
  
"We shall see what happens Legolas. Now, you must ready yourself." She said. He had brought down his tunics as well when he had brought down Celebfaer's dress, so now she walked slowly over to the chair and picked up his tunic. So she helped him dress and she smiled at him when they were done. "You do look quite the sight." She said with a smile and he offered her his arm.  
  
"Come let us find our son, then we shall head to the dinning hall." He said and she nodded, then took his arm and they made their way slowly towards Feanin's room, but Feanin caught up to them before they could go and search for him. So they walked to the dinning hall together, the three of them and when they arrived, Thranduil was a little surprised to see Celebfaer, but they walked slowly to the table and Legolas pulled the chair out for Celebfaer, then let her sit down, before he sat down himself.  
  
"It is good to see you up and about Celebfaer. We feared the worst." Thranduil said and she nodded.  
  
"I could not miss seeing old friends." She replied and the king smiled at her.  
  
Then Aragorn and Arwen walked in. No matter how old Aragorn looked, they still made a beautiful couple. They were just right for one another and it made Celebfaer smile to see them together. She squeezed Legolas' hand underneath the table and he smiled at her, squeezing her hand back, reassuringly.  
  
********************************  
  
Later on that evening after most of the Elves had gone to bed Celebfaer was almost at the end of her strength and she asked to be excused. The night had been quite enjoyable, except when the music had started and most people had got up to dance. Legolas had stayed by her side, but she could see him itching to dance, so she had ordered him to go and watched him dance with all his cousins, Arwen and every other married woman that asked, and was allowed by her husband. It made her smile to see him happy. But the evening had been a late one and it had taken its toll, even if she had just been sitting the whole night.  
  
Thranduil, Eran, Arwen, Aragorn and Legolas were the only ones left at the table when she announced that she was tired, as Feanin had been taken to be put to bed hours before by his maid. Instantly Legolas turned to her and nodded.  
  
"I shall take you then, melamin. It has been a tiring night and tomorrow Arwen and Aragorn shall still be here." He said and she nodded then smiled at him.  
  
"Thank you, Legolas. And I apologize." She said to the others but Thranduil shook his head.  
  
"Your health is important Celebfaer. Besides it is rather late and we should all be getting to bed." Thranduil said.  
  
"The ride was long, and Aragorn is not as young as he used to be." Arwen said with a smile and Aragorn gritted his teeth, but said nothing as he stood up, ready to leave also.  
  
So Celebfaer and Legolas headed towards the house of healing and the others went their separate ways.  
  
They made it to one of the numerous fountains in Eryn Lasgalen, before Celebfaer forced herself out of her husbands grasp and sat down on the edge of it, looking into the water. Cupping her hands, she put them into the water then splashed it on her face, liking the refreshing feel it gave her.  
  
"Melamin, we should continue to the house of healing........" Legolas started but she shook her head then turned to look at him.  
  
"I refuse to go back there Legolas, and you cannot make me." She said with surprising strength, which caused Legolas to look straight into her eyes. "I am stronger than they believe I am." She said softly then she looked away, towards the sky and the stars. "I miss the sight of the rising sun filling our room with light, which assures me there is hope each day." She added and he nodded, then with one swift motion he had picked her up and he was carrying her towards their room. 


	14. CHapter Thirteen: The Loss Of Friends

A/N: I'm going back to uni in a few days and its amazing what knowing I am going back to work does for my imagination. Anyway here's the next chapter. Enjoy!  
  
Chapter Thirteen: The Loss Of Friends  
  
The next few weeks went by smoothly and Celebfaer did not have to stay in the house of healing another night. The healers only requested that she come back every day for an examination, but after a week or so she had improved greatly and soon she was able to stop seeing the healers and spend time with Rosa when she went there.  
  
It was almost as if Rosa knew that Celebfaer was better, because as soon as Celebfaer got better and was no longer needed for check ups, Rosa's condition began to decline. Celebfaer's mind was still too weak for her to attempt to bring Rosa back, which saddened her, but she somehow understood that this had been the price. She wished it were not so, but she knew that Rosa had sacrificed herself for not only the Fairies, but for the sake of the child, Feanin. So every day Celebfaer spent at least an hour in the room where Rosa was kept, praying to the Valar, but knowing it was in vain.  
  
But she could not spend every hour of the day grieving for her friend. She spent most of her hours playing with Feanin, or walking with Arwen and Aragorn. Gimli had left a week after Aragorn and Arwen had arrived, because he had felt a little uncomfortable in the presence of so many Elves. When Legolas was not busy, he would spend time with them all as well.  
  
So the days passed by quite quickly, holding the same thing and the days seemed to merge into one. Aragorn and Arwen soon had to leave, because their son could not be allowed to take over the kingdom completely, until Aragorn was ready to pass it on to him.  
  
Then before Celebfaer knew it another year had passed and Thranduil told Legolas that the time had come. He was going to leave Middle Earth and search for Valinor. And he would take the rest of the Elves that wanted to come with him, which turned out to be half of the kingdom.  
  
It was a sad day when the day finally came for them to begin their travel to the Gray Havens. They were going to pass through Rivendell first to see Celeborn and then they were going to leave. But it was the last time that Thranduil would ever see his eldest son. Eran had decided to go with them, so it was a very sad day for Legolas.  
  
As with tradition, the coronation ceremony of Legolas was conducted before they left. Legolas's father put the golden circlet on top of his sons head and tears were falling from his eyes. Legolas tried to control the tears, but Celebfaer knew that there was a sadness in his heart that she would never be able to make disappear. She could feel it through the bond, but also see it in the way that he stood. And when Thranduil placed the crown on her head, her thoughts were not on the responsibility of what lay ahead for her and Legolas in Eryn Lasgalen, but they were on the task that she herself had to do before another seven years had passed.  
  
Then when the party that was leaving went down to the stables, Legolas stood above them, his crown on and his face hard, as though he did not want to show his real feelings.  
  
"Brother, I shall miss you." Eran said and Legolas nodded then embraced him.  
  
"And I shall miss you. May the Valar bless you with peace and happiness in Valinor." He said his voice hard, but breaking slightly and Celebfaer nodded.  
  
"We shall miss you Eran. Feanin will miss you too much. I do not know if he will be able to cope with your passing very well." She said and Eran nodded.  
  
"That is why I said my farewell last night. It is good that you did not allow him to see us off."  
  
"It would have torn him apart." Legolas said sadly and Celebfaer nodded agreeing with her husband, then Eran smiled before he put his hand on Legolas' shoulder then he turned and mounted his horse.  
  
Thranduil spent quite a while with Legolas, giving last minute instructions and generally trying to comprehend that he would quite possibly never see his eldest son again. Or his grandson. Eventually however, Eran beckoned to his father and he mounted as did the rest of the people that were leaving.  
  
Then they rode away, and Legolas did not take his eyes off them until they were out of sight, then he turned and walked away, not looking at anyone and Celebfaer knew he needed to be left alone. She could feel what he was thinking and she knew to leave him. When he was ready he would come to her and she thought she knew where she would find him if she wanted to look.  
  
So she went to take Feanin away from the maid that had kept him amused while Thranduil and Eran had left. Feanin was full of excitement, because he had been at the coronation and although he could not understand exactly what was happening, he knew something good had happened.  
  
So they were playing around when suddenly Feanin got a serious look on his face.  
  
"Rosa is going to die, isn't she Ma?" He said and Celebfaer looked at him for a few seconds before nodding slowly.  
  
"She will. Very soon."  
  
"Like Eran and Grandda?"  
  
"No. They are going away. They will not come back, but they are not going to die."  
  
"Then where are they going?"  
  
"They are traveling from this land to another. A place where the Elves are allowed to dwell with the gods. It's a good place." She said and Feanin nodded, then came in and hugged her.  
  
"Promise you will never leave Ma." He said and she paused slightly before answering.  
  
"I'll never leave you Feanin. We share a bond, which is why you can feel me in your head. And I have a feeling we are yet to see what you inherited from me." She said, the last sentence was more for herself than for Feanin, but the boy took no notice.  
  
"Ma? Where's Da?" He asked and she laughed.  
  
"He is busy. Come let's go for a walk." She said picking him up and carrying him for a little while before she put him down and let him walk himself.  
  
***************************************  
  
Later that evening Celebfaer began to get worried. It was after dinner, and she had put Feanin to bed, but she had not seen Legolas since the farewell.  
  
She knew he would turn up eventually, but she feared that if he didn't turn up soon, he might never return. Thranduil had told them that now that they were officially the king and queen they were entitled to take his own rooms, but Celebfaer had known, just as Legolas had known that they would keep their own rooms. It was Celebfaer's favourite room in the entire palace because of the way the sun hit it when it rose. Besides Legolas had told her that he would feel odd sleeping in the room that was his fathers, even if it was closer to the throne room and the study. Legolas liked the exercise and besides they had all that they needed up this end of the palace. They were close to their son and were rarely disturbed, except for important matters.  
  
So Celebfaer was sitting at her desk, brushing her hair when she felt Legolas enter the room and stand behind her.  
  
"Melamin, you are troubled." She said looking at him in the mirror, but he didn't answer. He didn't need to, she instantly stood up and they both walked towards each other, meeting in the middle of the room, where she took him in her arms and he started to weep.  
  
"They're gone........" Legolas started, but Celebfaer silenced him with her finger, standing on tiptoes so that she could kiss him softly on the top of the head.  
  
"Shhh....." She said softly. "Let it out melamin." She added and he did.  
  
She had no idea how long she held him for, but she was prepared to wait for him to stop for the rest of eternity. He did not weep the whole time, he just held her, needing someone to hold on to, someone to assure him that the world would be alright. He knew he had not made the wrong decision deciding to stay back so that he could stay with Celebfaer, but the grief of loosing his father and brother, never being able to see them again was tearing him apart. He could not allow the rest of the kingdom to see him like this, which was why he needed his queen. Only she would understand.  
  
What Legolas did not see that night was the rest of the kingdom. The rest of the kingdom grieved also. Not just for the loss of the king, but for the loss of a great number of elves from Middle Earth, for they knew that this was the last of the Elves. The Elves would now be so diminished in numbers that they would probably be forgotten by the race of Men and Dwarves. No longer would the trees sing happily as they once did. There would not always be a sadness in the tunes that the trees sung, despite the Elves that stayed.  
  
*************************************  
  
Weeks turned into months, and before long it had been almost a year since Thranduil had left and Legolas' grief had subsided. Each night he would cry into Celebfaer's shoulder, yet during the day he would appear as though it did not affect him. The kingdom loved him for it and eventually life was back to normal.  
  
Rosa had become so frail, that Celebfaer knew it was only a few days, weeks at the most before she finally left. What had made her hold on this long Celebfaer did not know, but she hoped that Rosa was not suffering. The strangest thing happened to her one day while she was visiting Rosa though.  
  
It was a year after Thranduil, Eran and the others had left for Valinor and Celebfaer had been kept up for most of the night by Legolas. He had stopped weeping but some nights he still liked to hold her until he fell asleep and Celebfaer could not help watching him sleep when he was like that. It was at those moments that her love for him was at its strongest. When he was most vulnerable she loved him the most because she knew that it was part of her job to keep him strong and protect him. Just like it was his job to protect her when she was vulnerable.  
  
Celebfaer was sitting beside Rosa's bed, her eyes closed and she must have drifted off for a few minutes or something because she was sure that Rosa had sat up and spoken to her. So it must have been a dream.  
  
"Celebfaer, you know what you must do." Rosa said to her and she nodded.  
  
"I know, but I cannot leave him."  
  
"Remember what your mother said. You must go soon." Her voice was very weak and Rosa suddenly looked very old and very frail.  
  
"Rosa......"  
  
"Listen child. I am on my last strength. I ask only one thing. I want to be taken from these halls and given a room where I can see the sun." Rosa said and she collapsed back onto the bed.  
  
"Rosa, no! I will go back..... You cannot die, I will take you back and my mother or someone will be able to cure you!" Celebfaer said, and Rosa's eyes fluttered open.  
  
"My time is drawing closer to the end. Please....." She said, then she was silent and Celebfaer opened her eyes and looked down at Rosa.  
  
Her condition had worsened and somehow Celebfaer knew that she had one day left. She just wanted to see the sunrise one last time. Being unable to stop them, tears slid down her face as she realized that her friend would be gone by the time Celebfaer got up the next day. She knew then that the time had come for her to return to the Fairy Realm. Legolas would never forgive her, nor would he understand, but it was something she would need to do alone and she did not know how long it would take.  
  
Getting to her feet, Celebfaer called the wind spirit so that Rosa would be easier to carry and she picked up her friend, amazed at how light she had gotten then she walked out of the room, ignoring the healers protests. She carried her up to where her own rooms, then she went to the room that they had given Rosa before Feanin had been born. Lying Rosa down on the bed, she made sure she was comfortable, then she called the wind spirit and moved the bed so that it was directly in front of the window, so that Rosa would see her last sunrise.  
  
Pulling up a chair, Celebfaer sat beside the bed, taking Rosa's cold hand and closing her eyes, retreating to her mind then seeking out Rosa's soul that was floating above her body, wondering what had happened to it.  
  
'Thank you Celebfear. You were good to me.' She said and Celebfaer nodded.  
  
'I will stay with you and watch the sunrise my friend. You will be greatly missed.' She said.  
  
Celebfaer was not at dinner that night and Legolas frowned. She never normally missed an opportunity to see him so he wondered what was wrong. He searched the bond but all he found was a strange calmness. It scared him a little, but instead of worrying Feanin, he ate with his son then stayed up with him until it was time for him to go to bed.  
  
Celebfaer had still not turned up, so this time Legolas closed his eyes and sought her out, trying to pinpoint her location. She was not far away, so he found the room, Rosa's old room, then walked in and his heart skipped a beat when he saw the scene in front of him.  
  
Rosa was lying on the bed, which had been pushed right up to the window overlooking the forest. Celebfaer was sitting in a chair beside her, her hand grasping Rosa's so tightly that it was as though she never wanted to let go. Tears were running down Celebfaer's face, but Legolas knew that it was pointless talking to her, because she had retreated to her mind and was probably searching for Rosa.  
  
Celebfaer must have sensed that he had entered the room because he had only been in the room for a few short minutes before he heard her voice in his head.  
  
'Legolas, I must do this. I shall not leave you, but I must stay with Rosa. Please leave me for tonight.' She sent and Legolas heard it then nodded and turned, walking from the room into their own rooms to go to sleep himself.  
  
***************************************  
  
The next morning, Legolas entered the room scared about doing it, but knowing he had to. He had known when he had left her the night before that Rosa was very close to death and he knew that Celebfaer would need him when she did die. Just like he had needed her when his father and brother had left for Valinor.  
  
He paused before he opened the door, afraid to open it, but knowing he had to. The sight he saw almost broke his heart.  
  
Celebfaer was sitting beside the bed in the same spot she had been sitting last night, her hand still held Rosa's but the tears were falling freely down her face and she made no attempt to brush them away. Her eyes were open but it was as though she was not seeing with them. She was looking down at Rosa, a blank, but calm look on her face which gave the situation a very uncanny feeling too it. She was so caught up in her grief that she had not noticed or even heard Legolas enter the room, which was rare for her. Normally she could sense the moment right before he walked in and she was always ready for him. But this time she had not even looked up, just kept staring blankly at Rosa, those silent tears falling down her face.  
  
Legolas knew the minute he had walked in the room that Rosa had finally passed to the halls of Mannos. But now he looked down to look at her. Rosa's face was peaceful, her eyes closed and her face serene. Her cheeks were pale and her chest no longer rose and fell painstakingly slowly. She looked as though she was only sleeping and she looked so peaceful that Legolas was afraid to say anything in case he disturbed the peaceful silence of the room.  
  
Legolas had seen many people die in battles, but he had never seen a person die from natural causes and the way she looked so peaceful, as though she was still sleeping gave the whole scene an eerie feeling. Suddenly Legolas shivered as though an icy wind had blown through the room, but it was this movement that caught Celebfaer's attention.  
  
She looked up at him the tears still falling down her face and bit her lip, as though uncertain and afraid before she spoke. "She's gone." She said and Legolas nodded. "She wanted to see one last sunset. And I know now what I have to do Legolas. I have to leave Eryn Lasgalen." 


	15. Chapter Fourteen: Leavtakings

A/N: Hello… I know its been a very long time (in fact I think its been almost a year) and I'm really sorry. However I did have 3rd year uni to contend with and it was really hard so I didn't have much time to write, but now uni is over and I can write again.

Sorry to leave you hanging like that, but I hope this lives up to the normal standard.

There will probably only be one more chapter after this, but I'm in the process of writing another story … Same sort of theme, different characters and different plot etc. well kinda.

Anyway here is the next chapter… Once again sorry for the delay and I hope you all enjoy it.

Cheers, Louise Blue.

Disclaimer: Tolkien created it I am just manipulating some of the characters for my own personal use.

Chapter Fourteen: Leavetakings

"What?" Legolas said, frowning. "Why?"

"You know why. It has been several years and my mother told me I must return within ten years. My time is almost up Legolas and my people need me. I must honour that which was given to me by birthright. Surely you can understand that."

Legolas was silent for a little while before he answered. He looked at his wife, knowing she was right. Tears were still streaming down her face and he knew she would grieve for a long time at the loss of Rosa.

"I cannot leave Eryn Lasgalen." Legolas said with a sigh.

"I know. That is why I must go alone." She said a determined and strong look in her eyes.

"What about Feanin?" He asked and Celebfaer sighed then looked down at Rosa.

"Can we talk about this somewhere else please melamin? Rosa has not been dead more than an hour." She said sadly and Legolas nodded then turned and opened the door, mentioning for Celebfaer to follow.

They went to their own rooms and once there Legolas took Celebfaer in his arms and held her, letting her weep into his shoulder. He held her for as long as it took, as it was only fair. She had done the same for him and now it was his turn to help her the only way he knew how.

But they were not there for long before the door burst open and Feanin ran in the door, but stopped dead when he saw his parents.

"Ma? Da?" Feanin asked cautiously.

Legolas looked up then let Celebfaer go, though she did not turn around to face her son. She did not want to let him see her crying, so she tried to gain her composure before she turned around.

"Feanin, where are your manners? You are supposed to knock before entering. How many times have I told you that?" Legolas said and Feanin bowed his head in shame.

"It's just that it's a beautiful day, I wanted to go play."

"Then go play. You have my permission just do not disturb anyone, please! Ma and I have something we need to discuss." Legolas said then Feanin nodded and ran out the door as fast as his legs could carry him, thankfully remembering to shut the door on his way out. "He will not like it, Celebfaer."

"I know, but he will accept it."

"He thought he'd lost you once... I thought I'd lost you… I don't want that to happen again… You cannot go alone. I will find an escort…" Legolas started but Celebfaer cupped his face in her hands so that he was looking at her.

"Melamin." She said as he looked at her with worry clear in his eyes. "I will return to you as I have always done and ever will, but this is my duty and I must fulfill it." She said and Legolas sighed because he knew it was pointless to argue. She had made up her mind and there was no changing it.

"If it must be done, then it must be done." He said and they both fell silent, each thinking their own thoughts for a short time before Legolas spoke again. "I will organize an escort of Elves to accompany you as far as you wish."

"No." She replied firmly, looking into his eyes. "This is something I must do alone, melamin." She added and Legolas sighed. "I promise to return as soon as I am able.

Legolas knew she would not be persuaded otherwise. "What of Rosa?"

"I will bury her here and then I will depart." She said sadly then Legolas nodded.

"I will make the necessary arrangements." Legolas said then he walked from the room, leaving Celebfaer where she was standing.

As soon as he had left the room the tears began to fall down her face again. She did not want to leave, but she knew she must for the sake of her people. She would miss Legolas and Feanin dearly because she knew that once she left she would not be returning for a long time. There was much that needed to be done and she could not return until it was all done.

Legolas on the other hand had walked straight to the houses of healing and requested for a healer to prepare Rosa's body for her burial. As usual the practical part of Legolas had taken over. He was not happy with what Celebfaer was going to do, but he knew it was what she must do. So he was going to help her in every way that he could, he just did not know how he would survive once she was gone.

* * *

Within a week Rosa had been buried and Celebfaer had made the necessary arrangements for her departure. It came to the night before she was due to leave and she told Legolas that she would spend the night with Feanin. 

She read him a story before bed and once she had put him in bed he looked up at her, his big blue eyes sad.

"Why do you have to go Ma?" He asked.

"I have to go Feanin because my people need me."

"The fairies? But why can't you stay here?" He asked. Celebfaer had begun to teach him a little about her people, so he knew what she meant when she said "her people".

"Because it is something that I must go to them to do. I cannot send people to do it for me, it's my concern and I will look after it." She replied, stroking his hair.

"Can I not come with you? And meet grandma, you've told me so much about her." Feanin said, hope in his eyes but Celebfaer shook her head.

"You are not old enough to travel. And you must stay here and look after Da. He will need you."

"But I need you too. What happens if you don't return?"

"I will return Feanin. And if ever you are scared, or if you shall need me, just look inside you." She said, putting a hand above his heart. "You will find me there. I love you and my love will never leave you. Never ever forget that" She added then she hugged her son and kissed him on the top of the head, trying to hold back the tears that were threatening to fall. It would be a long time before she saw Feanin again.

"I love you too Ma."

"Now get some rest. Da won't be too happy if I let you stay up all night talking now will he?" She asked and Feanin nodded.

"Goodnight Ma." He said and she kissed him again, before blowing the candle out and leaving the room.

She lingered a little outside Feanin's room before she returned to her own, knowing that Legolas would be waiting for her, so she had to regain her composure.

When she entered the room the scent of jasmine reached her nose and she turned around to see the room was alight with jasmine scented candles. Legolas was standing at the window, watching the stars with his back to her and did not appear to have noticed her arrival in the room.

Celebfaer walked over to the window and stood next to him.

"Melamin?"

"Look at the stars. They shine with such beauty. They say that the future can be told by the stars, but I do not believe them." Legolas replied and Celebfaer nodded.

"Only Elrond and Galadriel were good at seeing into the future. They were gifted Elves." She replied. "The future is always uncertain Legolas. And Elrond and Galadriel could only see what might have happened. They never saw if it was the definite truth about the future."

Legolas sighed then turned to look at her. "Feanin is asleep?"

"Yes. He does not understand why I have to leave."

"He will with time. He will miss you. As will I." Legolas said and she nodded.

"I will miss you both dearly. But it is what I must do."

"I know." Legolas said sadly and Celebfaer went to answer, but Legolas silenced her by putting a finger to her lips. "But melamin, you are here now, so let's not think about tomorrow." He added softly then he kissed her. "Come." He said then he picked her up and carried her to their bedroom.

* * *

The next day many of the elves came to see her off. Many of them respected her even though she was not one of their own. She was a kind-hearted fairy and many of them respected her. So they came to see her off. 

Feanin was not allowed to be there, in case he tried to run after her and she knew if he did that she would not be able to leave. It would be bad enough that Legolas was seeing her off, because it would be very difficult for her to leave him again.

He was the only one that was able to talk to her before she left and he put his arms around her, pulling her in close to him until their foreheads were touching then he kissed her.

"Are you sure about the escort? There are still things out there that would attack a lone female rider…" He started but she put a finger to his lips to silence him.

"You know I am capable of defending myself." She whispered then as she looked at him tears came to her eyes. "I do not want to leave you melamin." She said sadly.

"Then do not go…… Wait just a few more years until I am able to come with you……"

"My people will have diminished by then Legolas." She said sadly and Legolas stroked her face.

Suddenly he felt as though he was loosing her forever and he did not like that feeling. He felt as though if she did leave now then he would never see her again and the strength and power in the feeling scared him.

She had turned and was about to mount her horse when Legolas pulled her back down and looked at her, his eyes scared. "Don't go." He said one last time, his eyes pleading with her, but she shook her head then turned around and mounted her horse.

"I shall return." She said softly, one last time though she knew in her heart it would be a long time before she was able to return. She knew she had a lot of things to do before she returned and that would take at least a few years. "Farewell." She added then she commanded her horse to ride on.

Legolas watched her ride off until he could not see her any longer and he knew somehow that she would be back. Hope filled his heart, so he turned and walked back to their private rooms. Only once he was there, once he was alone, would he finally let the tears fall from his eyes.

* * *

A/N: I hope that was as good as the last few chapters. The next chapter should be up shortly. Cheers. 


	16. Chapter Fifteen: Unexpected Meetings

**A/N:** Hi guys, so sorry about this taking so long. But I've been really busy. Anyway I hope this satisfy's everybody as this is the last chapter. I just want to say that I hope you have all enjoyed reading this as much as I have enjoyed writing it. Thank you all for the kind reviews and all the constructive crtiticism, it was greatly appreciated.

Cheers, Louise Blue.

**Chapter Fifteen: Unexpected Meetings**

Legolas did not know how he had done it. Years had passed and there had still been no word of Celebfaer, but there was not a day that did not go by without him thinking about her and how he should have made her take an escort. Every possible scenario played through his head and as the years went past the worse the scenario's got and it got to the point that he was beginning to believe what his head was telling him rather than what his heart was telling him. That she no longer lived.

After Celebfaer had left that day Legolas had allowed himself one whole day to grieve before he resumed that which was his by birthright: running the kingdom of Mirkwood. He could not allow his subjects to see him weak, though they all expected it, but he knew that he must let none see his weakness for weakness was what got you killed or usurped from the throne.

He passed the days mainly by teaching Feanin all that he could, or reading in the library, anything to keep his mind from wondering about his wife and whether she was safe. Though at night right before he went to sleep he thought of nothing else but her. That was when he missed her the most. The cold place in the bed beside him was a constant reminder of that which was missing in his life.

Days turned into weeks, weeks turned into months and months turned into years and as the time dragged by, the bond that he shared with Celebfaer became weaker and weaker, until by the time she had been gone almost 15 years the bond was so faint that it was as though she were merely a ghost. Legolas had given up hope that she might ever return and so he busied himself with the everyday running of the kingdom. Occasionally he even went out on watch for a change in the routine although the watch was barely needed these days. The orcs had given up and appeared to be avoiding Mirkwood forest and besides them there was little else that caused disturbance.

Feanin was now old enough to begin training with the knife and bow. Much to Legolas's disappointment the elfling was showing more promise with the knives than with the bow. Though Legolas did his best to try and keep the boy's interest in the bow, he had no desire to do it.

"Da, do I have to train with the bow? It takes too much time and I am not very good." Feanin said once while they were in the training yards and he had missed yet another easy target.

"Yes Feanin. It is essential that you be trained in all forms of combat so that you are never caught off guard by your enemy."

"But the woods are safe now."

"But we can never know just how safe. If we believe that all the evil has gone from the world then we shall never truly be wise. For evil never truly dies, it sleeps waiting for the world to believe it is safe again and then when the defences are down it comes back with a bigger force than ever. That is why we train all elflings in the way of the bow, knife and one-on-one combat."

"When shall I be able to learn one-on-one combat Da?" Feanin had asked him these questions many times before. The young seventeen year old was very insistent that he learn this skill. His desire to learn one-on-one combat came because the elflings that were older than him boasted about how much better one-on-one combat was and showed Feanin the bruises that they were able to give each other. It frustrated Feanin because according to Elvish law training for one-on-one combat began when an elf had seen no less than twenty summers. Training with the bow and knife began however when an elf entered their fifteenth year.

"When you have seen twenty summers Feanin you shall learn one-on-one combat. You know the rule. Besides one must first master the bow and knife before one can learn one-on-one combat for without the use of either one-on-one is useless. Always remember son that it is a last resort when fighting an enemy." Legolas replied and Feanin sighed. Legolas just smiled, he remembered his own days as an elfling, when he had thought that everything was unfair. But his father had treated him the same and though he loved his son dearly and Feanin trained harder than every other elfling, Legolas would not break the tradition. Feanin would not be allowed to learn one-on-one until he had mastered both the bow and the knife. Although Legolas was beginning to accept that he would never excel at the bow, he was glad to see that Feanin had inherited his mother's talent. "Now, always remember to never take your eye off the target…." Legolas said, bringing Feanin's attention back to the task at hand. "You have to feel your target and feel the arrow hitting the target."

Feanin concentrated hard, but when he pulled back and released the arrow it still missed the target by inches and frustrated Feanin threw the bow on the ground.

"I shall never get this darned weapon! It is pointless." He exclaimed.

"Feanin, we do not use that language and if I hear you curse like that one more time, you shall be sent to the kitchens to help with the washing for a week." Legolas said sharply and Feanin flinched. He had inherited his father's hate for washing the dishes after each meal. But it made Legolas smile. Sometimes he thought he was too hard on the boy, but he knew no other way.

A flicker of movement to the left caught Legolas' eye and he turned his head ever so slightly to see a member of the guard approaching so he relaxed ever so slightly.

Legolas watched his son shoot and miss one more time before the elf was close enough to be seen properly.

It was Operon.

"My lord, I bring news from the south. There have been rumours that a new power is growing." Operon said bowing low once he was close enough to them to be heard.

Legolas held his hand up to stop him from saying anything further then directed his next words to Feanin. "Come, you have trained enough for one day. We shall continue tomorrow, but for now go to the library and ask Niesa to give you a book about care for bows to read up on."

"Yes Da." Feanin said, then he turned and took off at a dead run, eager to leave the training field. Which surprised Legolas, as Feanin was normally eager to hear any news that came in the second it arrived and he bugged Legolas, until Legolas sent him off, rather angrily.

"Come, let us adjourn to my study, where I can hear your report in full and you can take some refreshment Operon." Legolas said and Operon nodded.

"I thank you Legolas." Operon said with a smile, then he cocked his head in the direction that Feanin had just taken off. "He reminds me of us."

"Yes. Though I do hope he does not make as much mischief as we did when we were that age. I am thankful that he has not yet been led astray by the older elflings, though I do not doubt it will be only a matter of time before that occurs. I do not know how I will handle him when that day comes." Legolas said with a smile as he remembered the things he and Operon used to get up to.

"Yes I do not think your father quite knew what to do with us either." Operon said with a smile and Legolas smiled briefly.

"We had fun though. How I wish those days had never ended. We did not have the responsibilities we have now."

"Nay, we did not." Operon said and they walked back to the study in silence each thinking and remembering back to the days when they had roamed the woods stirring up trouble wherever they went and having not a care in the world. How things had changed and become so complicated now.

But once they were in the study and a servant had brought mulled wine Legolas sat opposite his friend then took a sip from the cup.

"Alas that we cannot simply sit and enjoy the day anymore. Tell me what is it you have heard?"

"There is a stirring of some sort in Lothlorien. A new power is beginning to flow from within her borders. Though none that venture in return and none have courage enough to try and see what it is."

"That is odd. Could it be evil? Orcs perhaps?"

"Nay, it is not. The surrounding villagers believe that it is not an evil power, but in fact a good power. Though none know what it is. All they know is that the last seasons harvest was the best in over twenty summers."

"Keep an eye on the villagers, see what they know. I do not think it is threatening, but it might be worth keeping an eye out. One can never be too sure. A good power? Strange…" Legolas trailed off, wondering what it could be.

"That is true. However they say that there is a lady residing there. Many believe it is the Lady herself returned, but it is not possible as the Lady left on a boat for Valinor many years ago."

"Any who dares to claim they have the abilities that the Lady has surely is not of sound mind. There is no one like her and shall never be any like her again. Are there Elves involved there?"

"Nay. The elves that have travelled near there claim that the air is lighter, but do not know how to explain it. It is almost as though there have been wards placed up around the wood to prevent any unwanted visitors. I in fact have tried myself to get into the wood, but I managed to only find my way out exactly where I had gone in. Could it be the Istari perhaps?"

"Nay, their purpose in Middle Earth has passed and so they have passed to Valinor, where they rightfully belong." Legolas paused, taking another sip of his wine, mulling over the taste before swallowing it. "Send a small company of Elves to investigate. But do not allow them to cross the borders of Lothlorien. Keep on the outskirts of her borders and we shall see who goes in and who, if anyone comes out. And try to remain unseen by whoever has taken over the Goldenwood." Legolas replied.

* * *

Years passed and all Legolas was able to learn about the mysterious Lothlorien was that there was indeed a Lady living there and she had now been given the name that was rightfully Galadriel's and Galadriel's alone. She was now calling herself 'The Lady Of The Wood'. 

Legolas had in fact lost some of his warriors, as they had disappeared whilst on watch and it was beginning to disturb him. At first he had not worried about it, but he had sent Operon down to the Goldenwood to keep watch on the elves he had put there and he had not heard anything from his friend since. Almost two years had passed and still no word which was very concerning.

Feanin on the other hand was beginning to finally learn one-on-one combat. He was now able to use the bow to kill anything that was standing still, but if he needed to hit a moving target he could only wound it. However, he was quite good with the knife and Legolas admired him for his hard work. He could now beat elflings twice his age when sparring with the knife, though he did not come away unscaved.

In the past year or so something had begun tingling at the back of Legolas' mind, though he could not determine what it was, so he had put it out of his mind and tried to ignore it. But it was getting stronger and harder to ignore lately.

Feanin was beginning to become more curious about the world and asked Legolas many questions. Some he could answer, others he could not. For those that he did not know, he would send his son to the library to research.

It happened to be late one afternoon during the winter month that Legolas was quizzing Feanin on the great battles of the first age, when a servant burst in and interrupted.

"Your highness, it is most unorthodox, but there are people here demanding your immediate audience. I would not have disturbed you, but Operon rode in before them looking quite worse for wear, announcing their arrival."

"Operon has returned?" Legolas asked. Legolas had assumed he had been killed seeing as there had still been no word. But if he was back surely it was good news. "Has he seen a healer?"

"Yes, he is with them now, but he insists you talk to him before you see these people. He claims they were holding him captive and made him bring them here." The servant said and Legolas nodded.

"Feanin, continue reading. This should not take long."

"Can I not come and see….."

"NO." Legolas said firmly and Feanin nodded then opened the book in front of him as Legolas strode from the room. Legolas simply could not allow Feanin to be seen by these people. If they had tortured Operon and they discovered that Feanin was his son, they could also do something to Feanin. It would be better if they did not know what Feanin looked like.

As he walked to the throne room something tingled in the back of his mind, but he had too many things going through his head so he ignored it. He had told the servant to bring Operon to the throne room so that he could question him before allowing the "guests" to see him. No one demanded his attention and got it immediately. Besides if Operon could talk he was sure that he could walk.

Operon was already waiting when Legolas arrived and the servant had been right. He did look worse for wear though it was mainly because of the distance he had travelled. He had a bruise that was developing on the side of his face and he was standing a little awkwardly.

"Operon, what happened?" Legolas asked, mentioning for him to sit down.

"The Lady of the Wood, I think she is…." Operon started before the door burst open and five people entered the room, closely followed by a servant, arguing with them, but the group seemed not to hear what the servant was saying.

"You cannot just burst in, it is not polite…."

All five members of the group were cloaked and hooded, four of them surrounding a central member as though they were the guards. Three of the four surrounding the central figure were definitely men as their hoods showed their faces, but the one at the back was smaller than the rest but definitely had more feminine features in her face. The figure in the middle had kept their face hidden within the depths of the hood so Legolas could not judge who it was.

"Show yourself. You shall not appear before me in secret." Legolas said, an obvious command, but the only effect it had was to make the three men tighten the grip on their weapons.

"You shall not talk to the Lady of the Wood in such a manner, Greenleaf." The guard at the front of the group said with a sneer and Legolas frowned.

"The Lady of the Wood?" He asked looking at the figure in the middle in disbelief. "There is only one worthy of that title and she left these shores many moons ago. Do you disrespect her memory by claiming her title?" Legolas asked, there was something familiar about the guard but he could not figure out what it was.

"Not even the Scholar of the Lady herself?" The middle figure said and Legolas felt his heart stop.

"Nay. Show yourself or leave for we have no use for tyrants here." Operon said angrily standing from his chair as though to threaten them.

The guard at the front stiffened and pushed the cloak back a bit to reveal a short sword, but before any action could be taken the Lady in the middle stepped forward, so that she was in front of her guard, removing her hood enough so that her face would be revealed and looking straight at Legolas.

'Melamin, it has been too long.' A voice said in his head as Legolas took in the sight before him.

Her face had gained a few more lines but besides that she had not changed at all. It was her and Legolas could not believe his eyes.

'This is a dream.' He said closing his eyes briefly, but when he opened them again she was standing in front of him.

'It is not. I have returned melamin, though I wish I had in better circumstances, but my guard would have it no other way. Mildred wanted to announce me, but it was Sabin's idea to come in secret. We did not know how we would be received.' Her voice came in his head once more.

Without a word, Legolas kissed her, not caring who saw them. The servants jaw's dropped but before any could object, Legolas swept her off her feet then carried her to their rooms, without a word of explanation to anyone. Only Sabin had seen her face and he knew not to let anyone follow them.

Once there she removed the hood completely, then took off her riding cloak.

"Melamin. I have missed you so." Legolas said and Celebfaer nodded, looking at him longingly, taking in every sight as though she had not seen him before.

"Not as much as I have missed you. My heart ached every day that we were parted." She replied then she took him in her arms and hugged him. "I have much to tell, but first, how is Feanin?" She asked.

"He is becoming quite the warrior… Good with a knife, but not very useful with a bow I'm afraid." He said with a sad look on his face and Celebfaer laughed.

"Legolas…." Celebfaer started, but she was interrupted by the door bursting open and the girl that had been in Celebfaer's guard strode in, hood off now and an annoyed look on her face.

She was quite young and Legolas could not believe his eyes, for she was way too young to be on sent on such a quest. She had blonde hair, with blues eyes and very fine features, but though she was young, she gave the air of a fearless warrior about her. Legolas wondered why Celebfaer had let one so young travel all this way.

"Mother, what is happening? Why did you disappear like that?" The girl demanded anger clearly in her eyes. "You told me you would explain everything and so far I have heard nothing."

Legolas turned to look from the girl to Celebfaer in disbelief. "Did she…." He started and Celebfaer sighed.

"Legolas, this is our daughter, Christianna." Celebfaer said, before she turned to glare at the girl. "You will do as you are told, now go back to Sabin and if you leave his sight I will send you back to Lothlorien with Mildred." She said angrily and the girl turned on her heel and stormed out.

"Our daughter?" Legolas asked and Celebfaer nodded.

"I am sorry you had to find out this way, but she is rather short tempered and very disobedient. I discovered I was with child when I reached the fairy realm and my mother bonded with me to have the child. Christianna has been nothing but trouble since. But I must say she is a blessing. She reminds me of you more and more everyday. It is a shame that you have missed her upbringing."

"Our daughter? Celebfaer, that is…" Legolas started and Celebfaer smiled.

"I know melamin. But please, we have much to talk about. I regret not coming sooner, but there was much to do and I could not leave my people until I was sure that we would not be hunted once we settled in Lothlorien. I would have delayed another year if our guard had not picked up Operon wandering around. They would have killed him had I not interfered. He did not know it was me, but I knew he would need to be let go to come back here and it was decided for me to come out and rejoin with you. Legolas I offer you an allegiance between Elves and Fairies. Let both our peoples walk together in Mirkwood or Lothlorien and have no fear about each other's race." She said and Legolas laughed.

"How could I say nay? I would be contradicting myself if I did. It shall be done. I am just happy you have returned. We shall talk later, first let me order some refreshment." Legolas said.

By the time food arrived in the rooms, Feanin had heard of his mother's arrival and he burst into the room and hugged her. Celebfaer exclaimed at how much he had grown, before Legolas sent him from the room. Tonight was for them only and he would not let anyone disturb him for any reason. His wife was finally back and he could think of nothing else that he wanted to do than hold her and talk to her all night.

* * *

"This is my father? An Elf?" Christianna exclaimed. After two days of solid discussion Legolas and Celebfaer had emerged from their rooms, completely satisfied and still as in love as ever. Mirkwood seemed to be celebrating the return of its Queen and Legolas barely left her side. So Celebfaer was making Legolas and Christianna get to know each other better. And Feanin was to spend time with Celebfaer as well. Celebfaer just hoped that they all got along with Christianna, even though she was the most difficult child Celebfaer had ever encountered. But it felt strange to her to have all the people she loved the most sitting together. What made it even stranger was that they were all getting along. She had always known that they would, but to see it happening after all these years made her so happy. They were a family finally and nothing would be able to tear them apart now. 

"I am afraid that our daughter has been reading a little too much of our archives." Celebfaer explained to Legolas who was still looking at his daughter in disbelief. She looked too much like him not to be his daughter and Legolas laughed.

"It's alright melamin she is yet to learn that she herself is in fact half elven. The Valar knows how she will react then." Legolas said lightheartedly. He was happy to have Celebfaer back, but he was still trying to get used to the idea that he did indeed have a daughter.

"It would explain her love of the bow though. If you get a chance, you must take her to the training field. She is getting quite good. Mildred has been training her."

"Mother do _not_ talk about me as though I am not here." Christianna demanded.

"I see you have inherited my boldness Christianna." Legolas said and the girl laughed.

"So mother keeps telling me."

"Ma, I hope I get wings some day. Then I really will have an advantage over the enemy." Feanin said at that moment and Celebfaer laughed.

"Legolas you have been training him quite well. I hope you will do the same for our daughter as well." She replied and Legolas nodded.

"If she so wishes, I will teach her all that I know. As Feanin has begun to outgrow my teachings." Legolas replied and Feanin nodded as if to agree.

"There is nothing Da knows that I do not anymore." Feanin said proudly and Celebfaer laughed.

"Knowledge is one thing Feanin, but experience is another thing completely. Experience allows you to apply the knowledge. You will never stop learning." She said and Legolas laughed as Feanin's face dropped in shock.

"Ma, that is precisely what Da tells me!" He said and Celebfaer laughed as well.

"You mean you get those lectures also?" Christianna asked and Feanin nodded.

"All the time…" Feanin started and Legolas smiled at Celebfaer.

'Nice to know that even without being near each other we were acting the same.' Celebfaer sent to him and he nodded.

'I have missed you so.' Legolas responded. 'It is good to have you back.'

'This time I am back forever melamin.'

THE END.

A/N: Hope you all enjoyed this! It's almost a shame to finally have finished it. Oh well, on with the next project now:)


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